California- from www.sfgate.com – The 27-year-old son of the late Jim Mitchell, a pioneering and tragic figure in pornography, was arrested late Sunday night after killing the mother of his 1-year-old daughter at her Novato home and making off with the child, prompting an intense 5-hour manhunt, authorities said.

The suspect, James Raphael Mitchell, was taken into custody at about midnight at an undisclosed location. His daughter, Samantha Mitchell, who turned 1 on Sunday, was recovered unhurt, said Novato police Sgt. Jennifer Welch.

“It’s a great ending to a tragic event,” Welch said. “We’re certainly pleased the child was located, unharmed, and our resources are now going to be focused on the criminal investigation.”

The 29-year-old victim was not immediately named by police or her family.

Her mother, Claudia Stevens, said in a brief interview that she had been a “wonderful mother” and a talented writer. And she expressed relief that her granddaughter had been found safe.

Stevens said police told her Mitchell’s arrest happened in the Sacramento area.

“Thank God they caught him so he can be held accountable,” she said.

She said her daughter was not married to Mitchell, but that the couple bought a home together in Pittsburg roughly a year ago. Her daughter, though, moved back in with her several months ago and filed a restraining order against Mitchell after a series of frightening incidents.

Stevens said the killing happened while she was out having coffee with friends. “When I came home we were going to have birthday cake,” she said. “He must have come when I was gone.”

Stevens said her daughter had sole custody of the child.

Welch said officers who responded to the victim’s home on Diablo Court just before 7 p.m., after receiving a report of an assault, found the victim dead in the back yard.

An Amber Alert was then issued in an effort to recover the girl, with information broadcast on highway billboards and on television.

Stevens confirmed that the suspect’s father was Jim Mitchell, who became a pioneer in pornography after he co-founded the Mitchell Brothers O’Farrell Theatre in San Francisco in 1969 with his brother, Artie Mitchell.

The brothers produced a string of pornographic movies, including “Behind the Green Door,” featuring Marilyn Chambers, in 1972. The adult film was one of the first with a plot line and hit it big when it was learned that Chambers also had worked as a model for Ivory Soap.

The brothers’ outlandish partnership – recounted in books and a television movie – came to a tragic end.

Jim Mitchell was convicted of manslaughter and served three years in prison for kicking down the door of his brother’s Corte Madera home in February 1991 and shooting him to death.

Prosecutors said Jim Mitchell planned the killing, but he said an attempt to confront his brother over drug and alcohol abuse had spun out of control.

Mitchell died in July 2007 at his ranch in western Sonoma County. About 300 mourners gathered for the memorial, including former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and ex-District Attorney Terence Hallinan.

At the end of the ceremony, Mitchell’s son said of his father, “He always told me, ‘Son, I’m not the greatest man. I’m not perfect. Don’t try to be the greatest man. Just be a man.'”

From News 10:CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA – Citrus Heights police say they’ve detained the father of an infant who allegedly murdered the girl’s mother in Novato.

Police say they took 27-year-old James Raphael Mitchell into custody around 12:30 a.m. Monday morning. The girl, one-year-old Samantha Mitchell, was found unharmed.

Novato police Sgt. Jennifer Welch says Mitchell is suspected of killing the girl’s mother and then taking off with her Sunday.

Police found the woman dead in a yard when they responded to a call about a possible assault on Diablo Court in Novato about 7 p.m. Sunday night.

An Amber Alert was issued for the girl, but was cancelled at about 12:15 a.m. Monday morning.

Suspect Had History of Drug Use: Victim’s Mother

Mitchell may have been using drugs in the days before the alleged murder. Claudia Stevens is the mother of the victim. She tells KTVU-TV, “As far as I know he just killed my daughter. He is dangerous, he is on meth and he came to our house three weeks ago and barged in and police came. We have a restraining order. My daughter has sole custody of this child.”

Suspect is Son of Former San Francisco Porn King

The San Jose Mercury News reports the suspect is the son of San Francisco porn king Jim Mitchell. Jim Mitchell formed a adult-film empire that one time included 11 movie theaters. He was later convicted of killing his younger brother Artie. Jim Mitchell served a six-year sentence for manslaughter and later died at his ranch near Petaluma in 2007 at age 63.