Shemilah "Lala" Sanders, a 22-year-old African American woman, tragically passed away on June 9, 2020, in Decatur, Illinois. Shemilah was found with a gunshot wound to her neck on June 6, 2020, near the Garfield underpass. Despite being rushed to Decatur Memorial Hospital, she succumbed to her injuries three days later. The Macon County coroner confirmed her death, marking a sorrowful end to a young life filled with potential.
The investigation into Shemilah's death led to the arrest of
two men, Paul Folks and his nephew, Lavanski Folks. Paul Folks, a 43-year-old man, was found guilty of first-degree murder in relation to Shemilah's death. He was sentenced to 55 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with an additional three years of mandatory supervised release following his prison term. The jury concluded that Paul Folks had personally discharged a firearm, causing Shemilah's fatal injury. Lavanski Folks, on the other hand, was arrested in connection with the incident but was not charged with shooting Shemilah. Instead, he pleaded guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and received a 24-month probation sentence.
The events leading up to Shemilah's death involved a physical dispute near the Garfield underpass. Witnesses reported that Lavanski Folks brandished a handgun during the altercation and fired a single round towards the group he was arguing with. Although the gun did not fire initially, a car later arrived with Paul Folks, who allegedly hit a woman with a liquor bottle before retrieving two guns from a nearby home. Paul then began firing at the crowd, and Shemilah was struck in the back of the head near her neck while attempting to flee the scene.
The case of Shemilah Sanders highlights the devastating impact of gun violence and the legal consequences for those involved. The swift actions of the Decatur Police and the subsequent legal proceedings ensured that justice was served for Shemilah and her family. The community of Decatur mourns the loss of a young woman whose life was cut short by senseless violence.
