NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Mystery on Horseshoe Drive’ chronicles how Shirley Skinner, in her late 70s, murdered her granddaughter’s husband, Steven Watkins, in her Ashland house in Chandlerville, Illinois, in November 2008. Though it all started with a somewhat simple divorce continuing and custodial battle, it quickly took an unpleasant flip, with the Skinner family matriarch allegedly stepping in to protect her family.
Who is Shirley Skinner?
Shirley and Kenneth Skinner had two kids — Ed Skinner and Debbie Webster — and lived in an extravagant space in Ashland, Chandlerville, in Cass County, Illinois. While Ed had two sons, Debbie married Robert Webster and gave beginning to Jennifer Webster. When Jennifer met Steven Paul Watkins in 2006 summer season, and a whirlwind romance ensued with them getting married in August 2006, Ed disapproved of the union. He claimed that used to be no longer how issues have been executed of their family, as they were “sluggish to accept outsiders.”
Ed mentioned, “We had been a kind of circle of relatives that met for supper someplace — either at their space, my house, or some restaurant — each evening for 15 years. We were only a close-knit family.” According to the episode, the Skinners were profoundly religious and proclaimed Seventh-day Adventists. In the closing several years, multiple generations lived in combination in the large Ashland home, with the place of dwelling being considered one of the greatest in the community. They caught together and stayed to themselves, with some neighbors describing them as nearly clannish.
Steven’s childhood pal, Brandy, who lived as regards to the Skinner place of dwelling, claimed the circle of relatives owned a a success trade and was financially well-off. According to the episode, Shirley once owned a daycare center, and her fellow parishioners described her as “a gracious Christian lady who loved children.” However, the government claimed she also had any other facet — she was once proficient with guns. Though it proves not anything in itself, the clannish nature of the circle of relatives made her the prime suspect in Steven’s dying in November 2008.
After Jennifer gave beginning to Sidney in June 2007, she began alienating Steven and his family with the newborn. Steven even complained about how Jennifer spent all the time at her circle of relatives home with Sidney, denying him even a little time with his daughter. It came to some degree where Steven in the end lost endurance and filed a petition for dissolution of marriage and custodial rights in May 2008. As soon as Jennifer realized about it, she falsely alleged Steven molested her daughters.
While a family court docket pushed aside the false allegations and granted Steven common custodial visits, the Skinners soon started formulating other excuses to deny him meeting Sidney. Debbie Skinner even claimed Sidney would cry and wet her pants when her father got here for visits. Except for Ed Skinner, the family also alleged Jennifer was no longer lying when she told the State Department of Children and Family Services that Steven had sexually abused Sidney. They stated they saw the abuse themselves.
Shirley Skinner is Still Serving Her Sentence Today
Amidst this unstable scenario, Debbie said she had arranged for a non-public investigator to observe Steven pick out up Sidney on November 25, 2008. However, she canceled the association hours sooner than the scheduled visit as she claimed a child psychologist informed her that the observations of a third birthday party would no longer make a difference in the court fight over custody and visitation. According to later testimonies, the family claimed Steven had a risky mood and bodily abused Shirley and Jennifer on November 25.
Shirley’s husband, Kenneth, claimed it was a lucky shot when she controlled to fatally shoot Steven in the back of his head from a distance of about 15 ft. He said that Shirley had by no means fired anything else other than a .25- caliber Berretta handgun. He added, “She had by no means shot a gun like that. Shirley by no means messed with weapons. She by no means went to focus on follow in her life.” However, the government on the episode disputed the claim or even alleged she had introduced praise cash to her staff in alternate for them “capping” Steven.
Kenneth asserted he used to be in any other room watching tv when he heard Shirley fall in opposition to a wall, adopted by means of gunfire. The Skinner blamed the police for botching up the investigation. According to them, a thorough probe would have proven self-defense. Since the government had virtually no bodily evidence tying her to the murder, Shirley rejected a plea cut price with a sentence of lower than ten years. However, a jury ultimately convicted her of first-degree homicide and sentenced her to 55 years in March 2010.
Debbie stated, “I assumed it will be, at least, a hung jury.” As the spectators left the court, Shirley wept. Her defense suggest mentioned, “I think she’s keeping up very bravely, taking into consideration the whole lot that’s took place. She’s been suffering from chronic heart issues, and we are at all times thinking about her physical well-being with all the stress that she’s below.” Meanwhile, the Watkins circle of relatives filed a wrongful demise go well with in opposition to the Skinner family, alleging members of the family conspired to kill Steven.
Shirley petitioned the Illinois Prisoner Review Board for executive clemency in 2014, citing failing health. Though she didn't admit to the crime in her petition, she asked her sentence be reduced and allowed to spend her closing time at home on parole. During January 2014 clemency listening to sooner than the Prisoner Review Board, Debbie said her mom had serious health issues. According to Debbie, her mom has had three strokes that experience brought about her to fall, each and every time resulting in a concussion, since she have been incarcerated.
Debbie also stated Shirley had damaged her arm, had a number of bouts of cancer, and were on heart medicine. However, the erstwhile governor became her clemency plea down. Now in her late 80s, Shirley continues to serve her sentence at Logan Correctional Center in Broadwell Township. Her inmate records state her projected parole date to be in 2064, while her earliest unlock date is slated to be in 2067.
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