Inset: Michael Devon Webb (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Rachel Wooten (GoFundMe).
In Michigan, a chilling murder case involving a 23-year-old man has concluded with a conviction. Michael Webb was found guilty of murdering his fiancée, a horrendous act carried out in front of their child. Prosecutors depicted a brutal scene where Webb shot his young partner, Rachel Wooten, in the neck at close proximity, all under the guise that he was merely “cleaning his gun.”
A jury in Pontiac delivered the guilty verdict, holding Webb accountable for first-degree murder and for using a firearm in the execution of a felony in the tragic 2025 killing of his live-in fiancée, Rachel Wooten. She was not only his partner but also the mother of their six-month-old child at the time of this senseless tragedy, as reported by the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
According to a press release issued Friday by the attorney’s office, the tragic event unfolded on April 15, 2025, when Webb shot Wooten in the neck from an alarmingly close distance. The office confirmed that the pair was romantically involved, resided together, and shared the responsibilities of parenting their young child.
Trial evidence revealed a haunting detail that Wooten had reached out in fear to her family the day she was killed. She sent a text expressing her deep concern for her safety, underscoring the gravity of the situation she faced before her untimely death.
Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office were sent to the couple’s Highland Township home, located in the 200 block of Maple Drive — about 40 miles northwest of Detroit — around 4 p.m. regarding a report of a shooting. The caller identified himself as Webb and he told a 911 dispatcher that he “had shot his fiancee and himself,” per the release.
“Webb had a self-inflicted, non-fatal gunshot wound and claimed he was cleaning his gun,” the attorney’s office said. “Their child was 6 months old at the time of the murder and was found inside the home unharmed.”
When speaking to police, Webb said, “It was an accident.” Police reported that evidence recovered from the couple’s residence “did not support” that the shooting was accidental.
Webb’s gunshot wound was “apparently from the same bullet” that killed his fiancee, according to investigators.
“Michael Webb executed Rachel Wooten in front of their child, then called 911 and lied about it,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said Friday in a statement.
“He will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison, as he should,” McDonald added. “While this verdict holds him accountable, nothing can bring back Rachel Wooten or change the fact that her child will grow up without a mother. Too many women and children are living in fear of domestic violence without the resources or support to escape. We must do more to protect women and prevent future tragedies like Rachel’s murder.”
Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 7.