A tragedy in downtown Detroit has sparked urgent questions about the gaps in the mental health system after it was revealed that a stabbing suspect had been court ordered into psychiatric treatment just months before killing a local woman. Devon Watson, 42, stands accused of the premeditated first degree murder of Jaquoya Wix, who was killed in what investigators describe as a random attack on September 20. Wix, 34, was an employee at a nearby Chipotle and was simply working her regular shift when she was attacked in an alleyway near Woodward Avenue and East Congress Street.
Court documents from Wayne County probate court paint a troubling picture of Watson’s stability leading up to the crime. In early July, Watson was brought to an emergency department by police after acting out at a coffee shop, where medical staff noted he appeared psychotic and was making nonsensical statements. By mid July, a judge granted a petition ordering Watson to receive treatment at Havenwyck Hospital in Auburn Hills for up to sixty days. At the time, doctors described him as suffering from active delirium and acute psychosis, stating that he lacked the capacity to make appropriate decisions regarding his own care.
The volatility surrounding Watson’s condition was evident even during his legal proceedings. On the day of his July hearing, hospital staff warned the court that forcing Watson to appear via video could put both him and others at risk of serious harm due to his unstable state. Despite these red flags and the judicial order for hospitalization, Watson ended up back on the streets shortly before the deadly encounter with Wix.
Neighbors at a West Side boarding house where Watson previously lived recalled frequent ambulance visits and expressed unease around him. While current investigations continue into how he transitioned from mandated care back into the community, a background check also revealed prior convictions for misdemeanor assault in 2016 and criminal sexual conduct in 2010. Following his arrest near Woodward Avenue and State Street, Watson was arraigned Wednesday afternoon as family members begin the painful process of mourning a life taken in an act of senseless violence.
