Porn King's Son Arrested in Killing, Kidnapping
Mitchell Jr. suspected of beating girlfriend to death with baseball bat
Police say Mitchell beat his girlfriend to death with a baseball bat in their Novato home then took off with the couple's 1-year-old daughter.
The son of a man whose name is synonymous with adult movies is behind bars, suspected of beating his girlfriend to death with a baseball bat and kidnapping the couple's 1-year-old daughter.
James Raphael Mitchell Jr., 27, was taken into custody around midnight after a 5-hour manhunt and the child, Samantha Mitchell, was found and determined to be unharmed, Sgt. Jennifer Welch said.
Mitchell was is suspected of beating 29-year-old Danielle Keller at her Novato home several times with a baseball bat then leaving with the child. Police sources have confirmed to NBC Bay Area that the suspect and child were found in Citrus Heights.
The child's grandmother told reporters that Mitchell is the son of one of the Mitchell brothers who were well-known strip club owners and porn pioneers in San Francisco. Claudia Stevens said her daughter had a restraining order against Mitchell Jr.
Mitchell threatened to kill any law enforcement agents who came into contact with him, according to the police department.
Police found Keller dead in a backyard when they responded to a call about a possible assault at a residence on Diablo Court in Novato just before 7 p.m., Lt. Dave Jeffries said.
An Amber Alert was issued for the girl, but was canceled at about 12:15 a.m.
Mitchell Jr.'s father, Jim Mitchell, co-founded the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre in San Francisco in 1969 with his brother, Artie. The brothers produced a string of porn films, including the first feature-length film in 1972, "Behind the Green Door," starring Marilyn Chambers.
Jim Mitchell was convicted of manslaughter for the 1991 shooting death of his brother and spent three years in San Quentin State Prison. He died in 2007 from an apparent heart attack.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
Posted Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 11:13 AM PST
