In the early morning hours of February 12, 2022, the life of Naomi Skinner, a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, was tragically cut short in a Highland Park, Michigan, apartment building. Police responded to a 911 call around 1:33 a.m. and discovered Skinner's body in the fourth-floor hallway of a building on 2nd Avenue. She had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck.
The investigation quickly centered on Skinner's boyfriend, 26-year-old Michael Cortez Norris.
Prosecutors alleged that a physical altercation between Norris and Skinner escalated, culminating in Norris fatally shooting her inside their apartment. It is further alleged that after the shooting, Norris dragged Skinner's body into the hallway before fleeing the scene.
Authorities located and arrested Michael Cortez Norris shortly after the incident. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office charged him with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and a felony firearm violation. He was arraigned in 30th District Court and given a $500,000 cash bond.
In June 2023, Michael Cortez Norris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearm charges. As part of a plea agreement, the charge of tampering with evidence was dismissed. The following month, a judge sentenced Norris to a term of 10 to 20 years in prison for the murder, with an additional consecutive two-year sentence for the firearm charge.
