Police release heartbreaking 911 call by man attacked by stepson, 16, before teen 'brutally murdered his own mother because the couple confiscated his cellphone' Michael Roy Helms, 16, is being tried as an adult on murder and assault charges after the body of his mother, Tina Helms Spencer, 36, was found at her home in Mesa, Arizona, on October 26 She was beaten to death, with court documents saying a hammer and frying pan were used during the attack The 911 call placed by Helms stepfather has now been released He tells the operator Helms attacked him with a frying pan and that he doesn't know where his wife is, tragically not knowing she was already dead Police say the boy and his mom had a heated argument after he had his cell phone taken from him and was grounded Helms' friend Christian Blakely, 17, is said to have watched the murder and helped move the body By Rachel Quigley Published: 06:48, 5 November 2013 Updated: 19:24, 5 November 2013 In a new development on the case of a 16-year-old boy charged with beating his mother to death, the dramatic 911 phone call the boy's stepfather placed to police has been released, with the man not knowing at the time his wife was already dead. The stepfather, who has not been identified, is trying to compose himself while talking to the operator, after fleeing the scene when his stepson repeatedly attacked him with a frying pan. The stepson, Michael Roy Helms, 16, is standing trial as an adult on murder charges after the body of his mother, Tina Helms Spencer, was found beaten to death at her home in Mesa, Arizona. Her body was found in a shed behind the house. The 911 call reveals the stepfather arrived at the house at about 4am on October 26 - the morning after the murder - and was almost immediately attacked by Helms, according to AZ Central. 'I grabbed the frying pan to defend myself. He came at me like crazy,' the stepfather said. 'He said, ''You can die and go to hell'', and started raising the frying pan at me over and over.' Scroll down for recording http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487571/mesa-police-release-heartbreaking-911-man-attacked-stepson.html 1/5
Michael Roy Helms, left, is said to have bludgeoned his mother to death because she grounded him w hile his friend Christian Blakely, right, w atched and helped him move the body. A new 911 recording released this w eek reveals how Helms stepfather, fleeing from the scene of the crime after being attacked by Helms, w orried for the w elfare of his w ife, w ho w as already dead http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487571/mesa-police-release-heartbreaking-911-man-attacked-stepson.html 2/5
The stepfather mentioned more than once during the recording that he asked Michael Helms about Tina Helms Spencer. 'He said he doesn t know where she s at,' the stepfather said at one point during the recording. 'She s supposed to be getting home from work right now. I don t know where my wife is.' Detectives believe Helms, along with friend Christian Lee Blakely, 17, waited at the family s house just south of U.S 60 and east of Gilbert Road until Helms Spencer arrived. The stepfather said he thought she was asleep in the couple s master bedroom and that she should be with their two dogs. 'I don t know where my wife is,' he again told the dispatcher. 'He keeps saying she s not home.' The stepfather continued describing the attack in detail to help at least three officers who had responded to his house. He also described how one of his eyes was swollen shut and he was having difficulty breathing because he has asthma and had been jumped by his stepson. Mike Helms is facing first degree murder charges after the body of his mom, Tina Helms Spencer, 36, w as found at the family's home in Mesa, Arizona, on Saturday Helms has been booked into juvenile detention on charges including first-degree http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487571/mesa-police-release-heartbreaking-911-man-attacked-stepson.html 3/5
murder, aggravated assault and tampering w ith evidence Little did the stepfather know, Helms had allegedly already killed his wife Tina, police allege. Sgt. Tony Landato, a Mesa police spokesman, said the stepfather s phone call gave police a good idea of what they would face when they arrived at the house. 'He did exactly the right thing. He got himself to safety and he called us,' Landato said. When the stepfather returned to the house, 'he was coherent enough to help us with our investigation,' providing important details about the missing vehicle and other information that would help police track down Michael Helms, Landato said. Helms was arrested later that afternoon, when he drove up to the co-defendant s house in his slain mother s vehicle, Landato said. Court documents say that Helms confirmed many details but added that Blakely helped him drag Helms Spencer s body to the shed. Joan and Phil Knowles, who moved to the neighborhood almost two years ago said they knew something was up on Friday when they spoke to Helms. 'He said the house is now mine three times,' Phil Knowles told AZCentral. 'I really thought of him as being aloof, not aggressive,' Phil said. Joan said Helms 'told us his folks moved to Ohio to be closer to family'. They also said he bragged in the past about owning a boa constrictor which he fed a chicken to every week. 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. School friend Mike O'Connor described Helms as a 'giant teddy' and a friendly kid w ho sometimes fought w ith his parents A school friend of Helms described him as a friendly kid, a junior ROTC cadet in high school. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487571/mesa-police-release-heartbreaking-911-man-attacked-stepson.html 4/5
'He's a giant teddy. He's tough on the outside. He puts up that front, but when you get to know him, he's a standup guy,' Mike O'Connor told FOX10. 'He didn't really have home issues he talked about. If he did, it was typical stuff. One week he'd have a fight with this parents, the next week he was talking about how his mom was awesome and helping him out with something.' 911 call: Stepfather escapes 'murderous teen stepson' Comments (0) Share what you think Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now SHARE PICTURE Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group Associated Newspapers Ltd http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487571/mesa-police-release-heartbreaking-911-man-attacked-stepson.html 5/5