Melissa Marie Nickel, a 31-year-old woman from Freeport, Illinois, tragically passed away on April 9, 2014, at Rockford Memorial Hospital. Born on February 13, 1983, in Monroe, Wisconsin, Melissa was the daughter of Richard Nickel and Linda Graham. She attended Freeport High School and worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant . Melissa was a member of the Diamond Studds and had a passion for music. She was a devoted mother to her daughters, Kiayla Glover and Zoey Taggart.
The circumstances surrounding Melissa's death were tragic. On April 8, 2014, she was the victim of a shooting at 638 W. Elk St. in Freeport. The injuries she sustained from the gunshot ultimately led to her death the following day. The investigation into her death revealed that her former boyfriend, Kevin Scott, was responsible for the shooting. Kevin Scott, 35 years old at the time, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to the charges on March 22, 2017, and was subsequently sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Melissa's death had a profound impact on her family and friends. She was remembered for her caring nature and the love she had for her daughters. Her funeral services were held on April 15, 2014, at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home in Freeport, with burial taking place at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The community mourned the loss of a young woman whose life was cut short by a senseless act of violence.
