The family of Jaquoya Wix is speaking out one day after the man accused of killing her was charged with first-degree murder.
The 34-year-old mother was fatally stabbed during her lunch break in downtown Detroit over the weekend.
The case is also raising questions about whether the suspect slipped through the cracks of Wayne County’s mental health system.
Community rallies around Wix family
An honor song was performed during Wednesday’s press conference at Detroit Police Department headquarters to help carry Wix’s family through the loss.
“Our family wants to stand here today, first and foremost to say thank you to our community and to everyone nationwide that this story has touched. Thank you for stepping up, supporting us, holding us, and carrying us through the unimaginable loss and pain of losing Jaquoya,” said Alicya Wix, Jaquoya’s sister.
Alicya also spoke to the kind of person her sister was and the void her death has left.
“Jaquoya was deeply loved just as she loved others. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend, a coworker and her loss leaves a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. But today because of our community and everyone who refused to look away, justice is moving forward,” she said.
The family also expressed gratitude to restaurant workers who rushed to help Jaquoya after the attack, saying their courage and compassion meant a great deal to them.
Suspect charged with first-degree murder
Devon Watson was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the Sunday afternoon attack.
According to investigators, Watson approached Wix as she sat in an alley behind a Chipotle restaurant in downtown Detroit and stabbed her multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy called the killing premeditated — despite the fact that Watson and Wix did not know each other.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison acknowledged the weight of the case at the press conference.
“There are some incidents that are difficult even for those of us who have spent our careers in law enforcement to comprehend, and this is one of them,” Bettison said.
Bettison also said there will be an increased police presence downtown, with officers paying closer attention to alleys and areas where people may be more vulnerable.
Mental health system questioned
Beyond the criminal charge, the case is drawing attention to Wayne County’s mental health monitoring system.
According to court documents obtained by Local 4, a nurse filed a petition with Wayne County Probate Court on July 3 to have Watson committed to a psychiatric hospital after he was brought into Corewell Health Trenton’s emergency room following a reported disturbance at a coffee shop.
The nurse wrote that Watson was “not making sense” and appeared psychotic. A doctor concluded Watson suffered from acute psychosis.
The petition to have Watson committed was granted July 13.
He was admitted to a hospital for mental health treatment for up to 60 days, with follow-up outpatient treatment ordered after discharge.
Under the court-ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment plan, the order was sent to the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, which then forwarded it to a local provider.
That provider was required to file a form with the probate court confirming a treatment plan was in place — a critical step that allows the court to monitor a patient’s compliance and take action if appointments are missed.
But according to retired Wayne County Probate Judge Milton Mack, that form was never filed.
That means the court had no way to track Watson’s progress — or intervene if he stopped complying with treatment.
James E. White, CEO of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, stopped short of addressing the specifics of Watson’s case but signaled an internal review is coming.
“Without getting to the specifics of this case, know that as more information comes forward, we will be launching an investigation internally to look at the practices that occurred,” White said.
Chief Bettison and other officials also declined to comment on specifics of Watson’s background, saying doing so could interfere with the judicial process.
