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Grandmother accused of murder extradited from Pinellas

Staff photo by WALLY PATANOW

Shirley Skinner was arrested Monday on a first-degree murder warrant as she was leaving a Clearwater restaurant .

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By KATIE CORONADO | News Channel 8

Published: October 7, 2009

Updated: 10/07/2009 11:51 am

CLEARWATER - The Bay area grandmother accused of shooting and killing her granddaughter's estranged husband is on her way back to her home state of Illinois.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Web site, Shirley Skinner left the Pinellas County jail at 7:55 this morning. Transported by an Illinois State Police aircraft, she is expected to arrive in Springfield between 1 and 2 p.m. today.

Once on the ground in the state capital, she will be transported to the Pike County Jail, state police officials said, because there is no jail in Cass County, where the crime occurred. Her first court appearance in Cass County has not been set.

Skinner, 74, is accused of killing Steven Watkins, 32, the estranged husband of Skinner's granddaughter, Jennifer Watkins, 31, who was also staying in the mobile home at Lake Seminole Estates.

The killing took place in November 2008 in a home in Ashland, Ill., where Steven Watkins had gone to pick up his 18-month-old daughter for a court-ordered visit.

Skinner was arrested Monday on a first-degree murder warrant as she was leaving a Clearwater restaurant accompanied by Jennifer Watkins; Watkins' daughter Sidney, 1; and Skinner's grandson, Joshua Webster, 26.

On Tuesday, Steven Watkins' mother, Penny, told WAND-TV in Illinois that she was relieved an arrest has been made.

"I'm as happy as I can be," Penny Watkins said. "Steven was in my soul. He was a part of me. There's still that part of you missing that will never return."

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