A murder charge has been laid against a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a restaurant employee in downtown Detroit. 42-year-old Devon Jason Watson of Detroit has been charged in connection with the death of 34-year-old Jaquoya Wix, also from Detroit. On Sunday around 2:30 p.m., Detroit police were called to a restaurant in the 600 block of Woodward Avenue for a reported stabbing. When they arrived on scene, they said they found the victim in the alley behind a Chipotle restaurant. She was getting medical treatment for multiple stab wounds. The woman was taken to hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Police say the suspect allegedly approached the victim while she was sitting in the alley, stabbing her multiple times with a knife, then running from the scene. The two were not known to each other. Watson is facing one count of first-degree murder in Wix’s death. Detroit mayor Mary Sheffield provided the following statement on the incident: 34-year-old Jaquoya Wix was killed [Sunday] afternoon while taking a break at her place of employment in downtown Detroit. She was a mother with a 15-year-old daughter who attends school in Detroit, who loved her and has suffered the immeasurable loss of her mom. Through the excellent work of DPD, in partnership with Bedrock’s security team, the suspect was taken into custody quickly. From what we now know, this was an unprovoked attack by an individual suffering from severe mental health issues. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Jaquoya and our city grieves with her family during this incredibly difficult time. To everyone else, if someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, help is available by calling the DWIHN Mobile Crisis Team at 1-844-462-7474 (844-IN-CRISIS).
