In the late evening of March 29, 2022, a tragic series of events began to unfold in Flint Township, Michigan, culminating in the death of 20-year-old Alicia Jackson-Skaggs. The young woman, a resident of Burton, was with her new boyfriend and another friend at a Culver's restaurant on Miller Road. It was there that she was spotted by her ex-boyfriend, Deondre McLilly, who was with his mother, Windy Weatherford.
Recognizing the white SUV belonging to her ex-boyfriend's mother, the driver
of the car Jackson-Skaggs was in attempted to leave the drive-thru. McLilly then opened fire on their vehicle, initiating a high-speed chase through the streets. The pursuit came to a violent end in the parking lot of a nearby Golden Corral. There, McLilly exited his mother's vehicle and fired multiple shots into the car carrying Jackson-Skaggs, striking her in the head. She was rushed to Hurley Medical Center in critical condition and succumbed to her injuries two days later, on March 31, 2022.
The investigation that followed painted a grim picture of a volatile and abusive relationship. Family members of Jackson-Skaggs revealed that she had been in an on-again, off-again relationship with McLilly and had been the victim of domestic violence. In the wake of the shooting, Deondre McLilly and his mother, Windy Weatherford, were quickly identified as the primary suspects. Weatherford was apprehended by Michigan State Police shortly after the incident, while McLilly fled on foot but was captured soon after.
Both mother and son faced a litany of charges in connection with the death of Alicia Jackson-Skaggs. Deondre McLilly was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, assault with intent to murder, and numerous firearms offenses. His mother, Windy Weatherford, faced similar charges for her role in the deadly pursuit and shooting. In February 2025, a jury found both Deondre McLilly and Windy Weatherford guilty of second-degree murder, among other charges. The convictions brought a sense of relief to the family of Alicia Jackson-Skaggs, who had waited nearly three years for justice. Both mother and son face the possibility of life in prison for their roles in the senseless act of violence that cut short a young woman's life.
