About 70 friends and family members of Lacey Nix gathered Nov. 20, carrying candles as they walked from Willard Intermediate School to Nix’s home in west Springfield where she was shot and killed a week prior.
Police officers responded to a report of a person shot at a home in the 4200 block of W. La Siesta Place at 8:16 p.m. Nov. 13. When they arrived, officers found Lacey Nix lying on the ground, suffering with a gunshot wound. Medics were called and tried to save Nix's life, but the 32-year-old died at the scene.
The person Springfield police officers believe shot Nix has been questioned by detectives, but no arrest has been made. The case is still being investigated, and a suspect has not been publicly named at this time.
Nix’s mother, Cheryl Watts, spoke briefly to reporters before leading the vigil walk from the school’s parking lot to the home her daughter shared with Watts' son, Dalton.
Watts said Dalton was attacked by the shooter’s dog on the night Nix was shot. Dalton was hospitalized for three days.
Anybody that knew Lacey knew that she was full of life. She loved her family. ... She loved her friends. She loved hard. She gave you her love. She stood by that. She was a beautiful person inside and out.”
Cheryl watts, LACEY Nix’s mother
Watts expressed frustration that the person who shot her daughter has not been arrested yet, but said she understands it is an ongoing police investigation and there’s information investigators are unable to share with Watts.
Watts described the suspect as a man Nix was seeing and someone Watts believes was abusive to Nix. Looking back, Watts said she now recognizes signs of abuse in her daughter’s relationship.
“If you don’t know the signs of domestic violence, learn them. Watch for things,” Watts said. “Because there are things that I’m remembering now that I’m like — ‘Wait a minute, that kind of makes sense.'”
The family is planning a celebration of Nix’s life at 5 p.m. Dec. 4., at American Legion Post 676 in Springfield.
Nix’s death is part of the Springfield Police Department’s 16th homicide investigation of 2023.
