AP Photo/The Detroit News, Max Ortiz

Patrick Mikes Jr. appears in 52-4 District Court in Troy, Mich., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. Mikes is charged with the fatal beating of his father who was found weeks later in a Genesee County cornfield. (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Max Ortiz) (September 25, 2012)

Associated Press AP

1:11 p.m. EDT, September 25, 2012
TROY, Mich. (AP) - Oakland County's chief medical examiner says a 55-year-old Notre Dame alumnus from Troy, Mich. found dead in a cornfield was struck in the head at least four times with an "oblong blunt object" like a pipe or baseball bat.
 
Dr. L.J. Dragovic testified Monday during a probable cause hearing for 22-year-old Patrick Mikes Jr., who is charged with murder in his father's death and faces up to life in prison if tried and convicted. Patrick Mikes Jr., a former student at Notre Dame, pleaded not guilty and remains jailed.
 
Prosecutors say the son dumped Patrick Mikes Sr.'s body in Genesee County's Montrose Township. The body was found Aug. 10.
16-year-old Andrew Mikes testified that Patrick Jr. heard voices, saying "There was one mention of it years ago."
Andrew Mikes also testified that his brother and father had a "tense" relationship, with his brother often separating himself from the rest of the family. But Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Ken Frazee pointed out the teen told police that father and son were getting along this summer while Mikes Jr. was home from school.

Andrew Mikes said he last saw his father before going to bed July 26. He said his father said he had canceled a credit card the youngest son used for gas because Mikes Jr. charged between $100 and $200 on the card the prior week during a trip Up North.

Andrew Mikes said he thought his father was at work when he awoke at 11 a.m. July 27. And he testified he didn't think anything of his brother coming to him that morning, saying he and their father had argued earlier over the credit card.

Andrew Mikes said he became concerned later when still he hadn't seen his father. By late that night, he and his brother were making plans to search for their father, and he went to bed about 1 a.m.

Andrew Mikes said his brother took their gray Infiniti the next morning on a fruitless Saturday search for their father while Andrew Mikes called local hospitals.

Andrew Mikes said his brother told him they needed to wait 24 hours to report their father missing and that his brother called police the morning of July 29.

After several hours of testimony Monday, a district court judge said he'll hear closing arguments Oct. 1 and decide whether to send the case against Patrick Mikes Jr. to circuit court.