A 42-year-old Detroit man has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder after Jaquoya Wix was fatally stabbed while taking a break from her job at a Chipotle restaurant.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Devon Jason Watson had “planned out his acts before he acted”. He was expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, 23 September.
Detroit Chipotle worker killed in alleged random attack
Wix, 34, was attacked in an alley near the 600 block of Woodward Avenue at about 2.30pm on Sunday, 20 September, police said. She had been working at the nearby restaurant and was on her break when a man approached and stabbed her multiple times.
The mother, who lived in St Clair Shores, managed to reach a nearby business seeking help before collapsing. She was taken to hospital but later died.
Police arrested Watson at the junction of Woodward Avenue and State Street shortly afterwards. Investigators used surveillance cameras and other technology to trace him, according to local reports.
Worthy said Wix and Watson did not know one another and that the attack appeared to have been random. She declined to provide further details about the alleged planning or discuss Watson’s state of mind.
“Just because someone may have mental health issues, doesn’t mean they’re not acutely responsible for their actions,” Worthy said.
A worker from a nearby business reportedly saw the aftermath and helped pursue the suspect before his arrest. Staff in the area have since spoken of their concern for the witness’s mental health after what happened.
Chef Christina Stanco said: “It’s tragic, and we see it all the time. We just don’t see it in this capacity.”
Wix was the mother of a 15-year-old daughter. Family, friends and members of the local community gathered outside the Chipotle earlier this week to remember her, while the investigation and court proceedings continue.
