Family of murdered Chipotle worker speak following charging announcement
(FOX 2) - Family of a St. Clair Shores woman who was stabbed to death outside her place of work in Detroit honored Jaquoya Wix at a press conference alongside police and mental health officials on Thursday.
The family is still recovering after losing Wix after her assault last weekend.
Police also said they would be doubling efforts to keep track of those struggling with mental health concerns while the head of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network said work was in place to partner with police.
Detroit man ‘planned out his acts’
The backstory:
Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the 42-year-old suspect would be charged with first-degree premeditated murder. He is expected to be arraigned later on Wednesday.
Devon Jason Watson of Detroit "planned out his acts before he acted," according to Worthy. She would not go into detail about the planning he carried out before stabbing Wix in an alley, but did say the two did not know each other and appeared to be random.
Devon Watson mug shot. Photo courtesy: Detroit Police.
She would not go into detail about Watson's state of mind at the time.
"Just because someone may have mental health issues, doesn't mean they're not acutely responsible for their actions," Worthy said.
Watson was remanded to custody after his arraignment.
According to police, the woman was on a break from work at a Chipotle, when she was stabbed in an alleyway near the 600 block of Woodward by a man in his 40s.
Wix was a young mother who lived in St. Clair Shores. Police say she ran to a nearby business for help. The suspect had fled.
He was arrested at Woodward Avenue and State Street.
FOX 2 talked to businesses in the area, and one of them is where the man who helped apprehend the suspect works. He got off early because it was a slow day, went to the alley and that’s when he saw what happened.
"It’s tragic, and we see it all the time," said Chef Christina Stanco. "We just don’t see it in this capacity. One of the staff members here was actually involved and saw the whole thing happen, and we are concerned for now his mental health and how he’s going to cope."
"Honestly, it’s really messed up," said Justin Hernandez Ramos. "But it was just really sad, and it was on her lunch break, right? Yeah, that’s messed up."
The Source: Previous reporting and Detroit police were cited for this story.