HOUSTON (Covering Katy News) – A Pearland man accused of murdering his estranged wife's boyfriend and forcing her to help dispose of the body surrendered to authorities after learning of a warrant for his arrest.
Michael Maurice Mack, 48, turned himself in at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in downtown Houston on Tuesday. He appeared before a judge, was charged with capital murder, and taken to jail.
Mack allegedly broke into his estranged wife’s home on Wells Station Court in the Katy area around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The home is in a neighborhood off Stockdick School Road near Katy Hockley Cut Off Road.
The couple, who married in 2019, had been separated for about 18 months. According to court documents reviewed by Covering Katy News, Mack had a history of stalking her and was not living with her at the time of the incident.
Details of Crime Revealed in Court Documents
Investigators revealed that Mack’s estranged wife and her boyfriend, 53-year-old Kelvin Hinton, woke up to find Mack standing over them with a rifle. He allegedly entered the home through a side window, wearing a tactical vest and carrying at least four guns. According to court documents, Mack shot Hinton in the neck and then struck his estranged wife with the rifle, causing her to fall in pain.
The estranged wife reported that Mack admitted to watching her all day and threatened to kill her. She claimed that Mack forced her to shoot Hinton by placing her hand on the gun and her finger on the trigger. The estranged wife did not know if the round she shot struck Hinton's body. Preliminary autopsy results show that it did not strike Hinton. Preliminary autopsy results show Hinton sustained a single gunshot wound.
Mack then allegedly wrapped Hinton’s body in a pink comforter, placed it in the trunk of her car, and forced her to drive to his apartment. There, she says, he doused her with bleach while she showered, presumably to eliminate any DNA evidence.
The estranged wife told investigators that Mack collected cash, saying he wanted to avoid using credit cards that could be tracked. She also recounted how Mack called a man named Jay, seeking advice on disposing of the body. They then drove to Vidor, near Beaumont, where she said Mack poured gasoline on the body and set it on fire on a secured, gated lot along Highway 90 West.
Additional Evidence
Investigators disclosed that surveillance footage from a gas station in Vidor shows Mack filling a red gas can and placing it in the trunk of the car. The pink comforter, allegedly used to conceal Hinton’s body, was also visible in the footage.
The estranged wife further stated that after dumping the body, Mack stopped to get the car washed and purchased a cleaning solution to spray the trunk. Investigators added that Mack allegedly told others he had participated in the murder and tampered with the corpse.
On Tuesday, Mack’s attorney, Wilvin Carter, claimed that law enforcement had only heard one side of the story.
"I've had a conversation with my client, so we know what transpired on the night in question," Carter told ABC 13. "Law enforcement has only had a conversation with one of the parties, and that particular party gave information that is not absolutely true."
Prosecutor Megan Long had a different take on the evidence.
"The evidence shows that Mr. Mack is responsible for this murder," Long to ABC 13. That's what we based this case on, and that's what we'll continue to prosecute this case on."
The Couple’s History
Mack also faces a misdemeanor charge of harassment for allegedly calling his estranged wife repeatedly to annoy her by making her phone ring constantly.
At the time this story was published, Mack was at the Harris County Jail with his bond set at $1 million. He is scheduled to return to court for another hearing on Oct. 8, 2024 where his lawyer will likely ask that his bond be reduced to make it easier for Mack to be released pending trail.