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Dateline has reported on many family tragedies, and among the most well-known is the 2008 murder of Steven Watkins in Ashland, Illinois. The case involved Shirley Skinner, a 75-year-old grandmother, who was later convicted of fatally shooting her granddaughter's estranged husband during a custody exchange. The incident stunned the tight-knit community and started a lengthy court drama.
At its core, the case shows how a contentious custody battle turned deadly and violent. From the actual shooting itself to the investigation and the trial, Dateline's coverage brought forth the complex events and their consequences.
The night of the shooting, as shown on Dateline
As per Dateline, Steven Watkins visited his estranged wife, Jennifer Watkins, at her home in Ashland on November 25, 2008, to pick up their two-year-old daughter, Sidney, on a court-ordered visit. Instead of an exchange, Steven was shot once in the head when he entered the residence. He was instantly killed.
Jennifer called 911 and reported that Steven had broken into the home. Later, first responders testified that Jennifer's grandmother, Shirley Skinner, greeted them at the door and he was on his way to her and baby Sidney when Steven was shot in self-defense by a family member. That revelation, which was described in testimony, turned out to be a turning point in the case.
Investigative challenges
As per Dateline, the investigation and autopsy into the death of Steven faced several challenges. The reports have indicated that the investigators never photographed the scratches on the hands of Shirley Skinner. The family members present at the scene were never checked for gunshot residue, and the gun did not have any fingerprints or DNA materials that could be utilized.
Prosecutors then also faulted such exclusions as failures in investigations, rendering parts of the trail of evidence incomplete. In addition, the reluctance by members of the family to cooperate with the police limited the data available for investigators. These were raised in trial proceedings as matters of concern.
The custody dispute
The background to the case was a contentious custody dispute. Steven had been granted visitation rights, but things between him and Jennifer's family were tense. Prosecutors argued that the Skinner family had adopted Sidney as one of their own and hated Steven for attempting to enforce his rights as her father.
Two witnesses provided trial testimony that Shirley Skinner had solicited them to injure Steven a month before the shooting for $10,000. This evidence was used to support the inference of premeditation. Combined with her on-scene confession, prosecutors could present the evidence as a pattern of intent based on the custody dispute.
Arrest and charges
According to Dateline, Shirley Skinner was indicted for first-degree murder and solicitation of murder in October 2009, and was 76 years old when it occurred. The indictment was for the shooting itself and the early allegations that she attempted to solicit Steven's murder.
Her case stood out because of her age, the fact that she was a grandmother, and the overall custody dispute, which defined the conflict. Dateline covered how the crime hadn't occurred in a vacuum but was severely tied to the family feud that had been ongoing.
The trial
The trial was held in May 2010. Prosecutors used Shirley's admission at the crime scene, the reported solicitation attempts, and troubled family relations. They argued that the killing was triggered by the battle over custody and that she wanted to keep Sidney away from Steven.
The defense challenged the investigation and questioned the lack of forensic evidence. The jury still weighed the testimony and the circumstances against Shirley. She was convicted of first-degree murder and received a 55-year prison term.
Custody proceedings after the murder
Following the death of Steven, Sidney's custody was an issue. Jennifer Watkins was never charged in relation with the murder and had temporary custody. The parents of Steven sought visitation rights and, through a series of courtroom hearings, were granted visitation rights in 2010.
The case of custody became increasingly complicated in subsequent years. Jennifer departed Illinois, first going to Florida and then Massachusetts. Reports state that she did this to avoid obeying visitation orders. She was arrested in 2016 in Massachusetts on a charge of contempt of court for her refusal to obey the orders.
Sidney was later adopted by her maternal uncle and aunt, who were granted permanent custody.
Clemency petition
In 2014, Shirley Skinner petitioned for executive clemency. Her attorneys cited her age and poor health and argued that she was too sick to be kept in prison. She was said to have severe medical issues.
The Illinois Prison Review Board reviewed her appeal but ultimately denied it. Shirley Skinner sits in prison with her 55-year sentence. Dateline stated that the plea for clemency added a new level to the case, throwing questions of punishment, justice, and mercy into the mix for aging offenders.
Wider considerations
The Shirley Skinner case, as presented on Dateline, shows just how profoundly personal disputes can turn deadly. It had the elements of a dysfunctional family, the horror of a murder during a custody exchange, and suspicions of how investigations proceed in close-knit communities.
While Steven's family did get some level of closure with the conviction, the investigative failures and long custody battle fostered continuing tensions. For Sidney, the case meant being raised without proper parental figures.
Dateline's coverage of the Shirley Skinner case is a thoughtful retelling of what transpired during the time of Steven Watkins' death. It shows how family disputes can have long-lasting and wrecking influences.
Steven Watkins died during what was supposed to be a visitation. Shirley Skinner was convicted and remains imprisoned. Jennifer Watkins wasn't prosecuted, but lost her daughter's custody in later hearings. Sidney went to live with relatives, bringing stability after decades of legal uncertainty.
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Dateline returns to revisit the likes of this case to document how complex, personal conflicts intersect with the criminal justice system. Here, the intersection of a custody fight, an elderly defendant, and a dysfunctional family produced one of Illinois' most high-profile cases and a cautionary tale of how quickly personal conflicts can snowball into irredeemable tragedy.
Also read: Dateline: Secrets of the Sliding Door - Everything we know about NBC's upcoming true crime episode
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