Michigan — A 21-year-old man from Michigan has been arrested for allegedly killing his fiancee by shooting her in the neck and claiming that his firearm accidentally discharged while he was cleaning it.
Michael Devon Webb was arrested last week and charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony in the death of 23-year-old Rachel Renee Wooten, according to authorities.
According to an Oakland Sheriff’s Office news release, deputies responded to a reported shooting at the Highland Township home in the 200 block of Maple Drive, approximately 40 miles northwest of Detroit, Michigan, around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Webb and Wooten lived in the house where the shooting is suspected to have taken place with their 6-month-old child.
The caller identified himself as Webb and allegedly told the emergency dispatcher that he “had shot his fiancee and himself,” according to the release.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered Wooten, who appeared to have sustained a gunshot wound to the neck “at very close range,” according to prosecutors. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple’s child was unharmed during the incident.
Webb was arrested at the residence. Webb initially told police that the shooting was an accident that occurred “while cleaning his gun,” according to police reports. According to the news release, the evidence recovered from the residence “did not support” the theory that Wooten died as a result of an accidental shooting.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office stated that Webb’s alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound came “apparently from the same bullet” that killed his fiancee.
“Rachel Wooten was just 23 and a mother of an infant,” said Prosecutor Karen McDonald in a statement. “Her entire life was ahead of her, but it was cut short in what appears to be a domestic violence tragedy. She will not be present for her child or other loved ones in her life. “I’m determined to bring her killer to justice.”
Sheriff Michael Bouchard issued his own statement, echoing the prosecutor’s sentiments.
“I am proud of our investigators and team that responded to a tragic death and unraveled a false offered narrative to hold an individual accountable,”
After being arrested, Webb was booked into the Oakland County Jail. He was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Andra Richardson in 52-1 District Court in Novi, Michigan, on Friday and ordered to remain in detention without bond. He is currently scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause hearing on April 30.
First-degree murder in Michigan is punishable by a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Wooten’s sister started a GoFundMe campaign describing her as a “beautiful” sibling.
“Rachel was an amazing woman, devoted mother, and loving caretaker of her stepson as well,” according to the headline. “She was also the best sissy in the world, my rock, and best friend. “This tragedy and devastation is beyond words.”
