Who killed Steven Watkins? ‘Dateline: Secrets Uncovered’ delves into Horseshoe Drive shooting
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS: Steven Watkins was the ex-husband of Jennifer Watkins, granddaughter of Shirley Skinner.
In November 2008, Steven Watkins was fatally shot from behind as he arrived at the Ashland residence where Jennifer Watkins lived with her parents and grandparents. He had come to pick up his daughter Sidney for a court-ordered visit.
In 2010, Skinner was found guilty of this crime and is currently serving a 55-year prison term for first-degree murder.
Who was Steven Watkins?
Steve Watkins, aged 32, hailed from Chandlerville. Before meeting his wife Jennifer Watkins, he had full custody of his older daughter Alex from a previous relationship. Steven and Jennifer tied the knot in August of 2006.
He had visited the Skinners’ Ashland residence to retrieve his then 17-month-old daughter, Sydney, for court-ordered visitation when the tragic incident occurred, resulting in his fatal shooting.
During Shirley Skinner's trial, prosecutors portrayed Steven Watkins as a "caring father" who consistently sought legal assistance responsibly. Instead of taking matters into his own hands, he regularly contacted the police when faced with difficulties in visiting his daughter.
What happened between Steven Watkins and his wife Jennifer Watkins?
Initially, everything appeared to be going smoothly until the birth of their daughter, Sidney. Reports suggest that Jennifer never allowed Steven to spend time alone with their daughter.
Furthermore, Jennifer was frequently absent from home, often dressing Sidney in the morning and then spending the majority of the day at her grandparents' house. She would only return home after Sidney had fallen asleep to be put to bed.
By the time Sidney was about five months old, around November of 2007, Steven reached his breaking point. Jennifer moved out, taking Sidney with her, and officially relocated to the Skinner home with the rest of her family.
Over the following months, although the situation was far from ideal, Steven still harbored hopes of reconciliation. However, it became evident that Jennifer was not open to this possibility. Despite occasional visits from Jennifer with Sidney, Steven and his daughter Alex were not allowed to interact with the baby; they could only watch as Jennifer played with her.
Recognizing that reconciliation was no longer feasible, Steven took action in May of 2008 by filing for divorce and seeking custody of Sidney.
Why did Shirley Skinner shoot Steven Watkins on Horseshoe Drive?
On the evening of November 25, 2008, Steven Watkins arrived at the Skinner house, where his estranged wife, Jennifer, resided with their daughter, Sidney. Alongside Jennifer and Sidney, the house was also occupied by Jennifer's grandparents, Shirley and Kenneth Skinner, as well as Jennifer's mother (and possibly father), Debra Webster, and her brother.
Neighbors of the Skinners informed the police that they observed Steven in his car parked in front of the house around 5:30 PM. At 5:43 PM, Jennifer made a 911 call reporting that her estranged husband, Steven Watkins, had forcibly entered the home and injured her grandmother, who she mentioned had heart issues requiring medical attention. Shortly after this call, Jennifer dialed 911 again to report that Steven was found dead with a gunshot wound to his head, a detail she had initially failed to mention.
Upon the arrival of the first EMTs, they initially did not notice Steven's body. Shirley appeared distressed and repeatedly mentioned that she had shot him and insisted he "should not be in the house". Eventually, they located Steven's body and determined he was beyond help.
They then shifted their focus to 75-year-old Shirley. Despite her claims that she did not have any medical issues, aside from what appeared to be two scratches on her hand, the EMTs found no other injuries.
What charges were pressed against Shirley Skinner arrested from Horseshoe Drive?
In May 2010, Skinner was convicted of first-degree murder for fatally shooting her granddaughter's estranged husband, Steven Watkins, in the back of the head on November 25, 2008, at Skinner's residence during what was intended to be a child custody exchange between Steven Watkins and Jennifer Watkins.
As a result of the conviction, Skinner was sentenced to 55 years in prison. The Skinner family alleged that the police "mishandled" the investigation. They argued that a more comprehensive inquiry would have established the case for self-defense, potentially leading to a different outcome for Shirley Skinner.
According to them, Shirley Skinner was offered a plea bargain with a sentence of less than 10 years, and they contend that she would not have been sentenced to spend the remainder of her life in prison had the investigation been conducted properly. They expressed surprise at the swift verdict, which was delivered in less than 90 minutes.
Shirley Skinner maintained that she acted in 'self-defense' during her trial
During Shirley Skinner’s trial, prosecutors depicted the family as a close-knit group that viewed Sidney as their "possession". Debbie Webster had arranged for a private investigator to monitor Steven Watkins' visit to pick up Sidney, who was three years old at the time of the incident. However, she canceled the arrangement just hours before the scheduled visit.
Kenneth Skinner, along with Robert and Debbie Webster, argued that Steven Watkins knocked Shirley Skinner down and was advancing toward his estranged wife and daughter when Shirley Skinner retrieved a 9mm pistol from a shelf above a television. They asserted that Shirley Skinner shot Watkins from a distance of 15 to 20 feet in what they claim was an act of "self-defense".
They have continued to maintain that Jennifer acted in self-defense and therefore should be released from custody.
‘Dateline: Secrets Uncovered’ Season 12 airs new episodes every Wednesday at 8 pm ET on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock the following day.