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Michael Roy Helms
Christian Lee Blakely
Michael Roy HelmsChristian Lee Blakely
The Republic | azcentral.com
Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:20 PM
At 6 feet 6 inches tall and 265 pounds, Michael Roy Helms towered
over peers at Gilbert High School, but neighbors say the 16-year-old
Mesa boy’s tales were even taller.
Some were harmless enough. He bragged about owning a classic car and a boa constrictor he fed a chicken to each week.
But the latest tale is chilling in retrospect: Helms on Friday claimed his parents had moved to Ohio and left him their tract house just south of U.S. 60.
“He said his folks gave him the house. That is not normal,” neighbor Phil Knowles said Monday. “I would think, at that time in his mind, something was going on.”
Helms was arrested a day later on suspicion of firstdegree murder in the gruesome slaying of his 36-year-old mother, who had angered him by grounding him, according to Mesa police.
Mesa officers found his mother, Tina Helms Spencer, dead early Saturday morning in a backyard shed.
Police said there were signs of blunt-force trauma and seized a hammer and a frying pan as possible murder weapons.
Christian Lee Blakely, 17, a friend of Michael Helms’ who lives nearby, was also arrested and is accused of witnessing the woman’s slaying and helping Helms conceal the body.
Detectives believe Helms and Blakely waited at the family’s house in the 2100 block of East Juanita Avenue until Helms Spencer arrived, according to court records.
“As the victim entered her residence, the defendant then intentionally struck her with a frying pan, struck her with a hammer, and choked her in a rage,” according to court records.
Police were called to the house at 4 a.m. by Helms Spencer’s husband, who is also Michael Helms’ stepfather.
Sgt. Tony Landato, a Mesa police spokesman, said the stepfather reported that he was attacked by his stepson as he arrived home early Saturday morning.
“He’s getting choked, he’s being hit. At some point, he’s able to get free,” Landato said.
The stepfather went down the street and called police from another house.
He thought his wife was asleep, but when police arrived, they found blood and eventually found Helms Spencer in the shed. Landato said Helms had quarreled with his mother during a telephone call before she was slain.
Suspect was grounded
He said Helms was upset his parents had grounded him.
Friends said the grounding also meant that Helms could not use his cellphone.
Landato said Helms told Blakely he was planning to kill his mother.
“There was a discussion between the kids. ‘I’m going to do this to my mom,’ ” Landato said.
Although police have no evidence that Blakely participated in the attack, detectives believe he did nothing to defend Helms Spencer and eventually helped Michael Helms carry her body to the backyard shed where officers found her, Landato said.
Blakely’s court records said he “stood in the dark and watched as the murder occurred.”
Blakely confessed to detectives that he watched the slaying and walked with Helms as he carried his mother’s body to the shed, the documents said.
He also admitted helping Helms clean up the house with a mop, according to documents.
The documents said that Helms confirmed many details but added that Blakely helped him drag Helms Spencer’s body to the shed.
The slaying stunned neighbors and friends in the neighborhood near Gilbert Road and U.S. 60.
“They were like big teddy bears,” said Stephanie Galvan, who attended a youth group at a church with Helms.
Sydney Knutson, a friend of Blakely’s, agreed. “He was definitely the sweetest kid I ever met,” she said. “It didn’t seem like he would do anything to anybody.”
But Joan and Phil Knowles, who were befriended by Helms when they first moved to the neighborhood 1 1/2 years ago, said they knew something didn’t add up when they spoke to Helms late Friday afternoon outside his house.
“He said the house is now mine — three times,” Phil Knowles said.
Joan said Helms “told us his folks moved to Ohio to be closer to family.” She said Helms was prone to more innocuous lies — he once said he had a Ford Mustang that he kept at a friend’s house but would still ask neighbors for rides.
“I really thought of him as being aloof, not aggressive,” Phil said.
An autopsy will be conducted on Helms Spencer by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, Landato said.
Michael Helms was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument, concealment of a
dead body and tampering with evidence, according to the court document.
Blakely was arrested on suspicion of first-degree homicide accomplice, concealing a dead body and tampering with evidence.
Some were harmless enough. He bragged about owning a classic car and a boa constrictor he fed a chicken to each week.
But the latest tale is chilling in retrospect: Helms on Friday claimed his parents had moved to Ohio and left him their tract house just south of U.S. 60.
“He said his folks gave him the house. That is not normal,” neighbor Phil Knowles said Monday. “I would think, at that time in his mind, something was going on.”
Helms was arrested a day later on suspicion of firstdegree murder in the gruesome slaying of his 36-year-old mother, who had angered him by grounding him, according to Mesa police.
Mesa officers found his mother, Tina Helms Spencer, dead early Saturday morning in a backyard shed.
Police said there were signs of blunt-force trauma and seized a hammer and a frying pan as possible murder weapons.
Christian Lee Blakely, 17, a friend of Michael Helms’ who lives nearby, was also arrested and is accused of witnessing the woman’s slaying and helping Helms conceal the body.
Detectives believe Helms and Blakely waited at the family’s house in the 2100 block of East Juanita Avenue until Helms Spencer arrived, according to court records.
“As the victim entered her residence, the defendant then intentionally struck her with a frying pan, struck her with a hammer, and choked her in a rage,” according to court records.
Police were called to the house at 4 a.m. by Helms Spencer’s husband, who is also Michael Helms’ stepfather.
Sgt. Tony Landato, a Mesa police spokesman, said the stepfather reported that he was attacked by his stepson as he arrived home early Saturday morning.
“He’s getting choked, he’s being hit. At some point, he’s able to get free,” Landato said.
The stepfather went down the street and called police from another house.
He thought his wife was asleep, but when police arrived, they found blood and eventually found Helms Spencer in the shed. Landato said Helms had quarreled with his mother during a telephone call before she was slain.
Suspect was grounded
He said Helms was upset his parents had grounded him.
Friends said the grounding also meant that Helms could not use his cellphone.
Landato said Helms told Blakely he was planning to kill his mother.
“There was a discussion between the kids. ‘I’m going to do this to my mom,’ ” Landato said.
Although police have no evidence that Blakely participated in the attack, detectives believe he did nothing to defend Helms Spencer and eventually helped Michael Helms carry her body to the backyard shed where officers found her, Landato said.
Blakely’s court records said he “stood in the dark and watched as the murder occurred.”
Blakely confessed to detectives that he watched the slaying and walked with Helms as he carried his mother’s body to the shed, the documents said.
He also admitted helping Helms clean up the house with a mop, according to documents.
The documents said that Helms confirmed many details but added that Blakely helped him drag Helms Spencer’s body to the shed.
The slaying stunned neighbors and friends in the neighborhood near Gilbert Road and U.S. 60.
“They were like big teddy bears,” said Stephanie Galvan, who attended a youth group at a church with Helms.
Sydney Knutson, a friend of Blakely’s, agreed. “He was definitely the sweetest kid I ever met,” she said. “It didn’t seem like he would do anything to anybody.”
But Joan and Phil Knowles, who were befriended by Helms when they first moved to the neighborhood 1 1/2 years ago, said they knew something didn’t add up when they spoke to Helms late Friday afternoon outside his house.
“He said the house is now mine — three times,” Phil Knowles said.
Joan said Helms “told us his folks moved to Ohio to be closer to family.” She said Helms was prone to more innocuous lies — he once said he had a Ford Mustang that he kept at a friend’s house but would still ask neighbors for rides.
“I really thought of him as being aloof, not aggressive,” Phil said.
An autopsy will be conducted on Helms Spencer by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, Landato said.
Michael Helms was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument, concealment of a
dead body and tampering with evidence, according to the court document.
Blakely was arrested on suspicion of first-degree homicide accomplice, concealing a dead body and tampering with evidence.
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