Inset (left): Markeisha Burns-Cross (Saginaw County Sheriff”s Office). Inset (right): Devon L. Williams (Facebook). Background: The Saginaw County Governmental Center in Saginaw, Mich. (Google Maps).
An Indiana woman has been sentenced to prison for her role in the killing of her former partner, a case that prosecutors said began with a late-night argument and ended in a fatal shooting at a Michigan home.
Markeisha Burns-Cross, 27, received a sentence of 10 to 30 years after entering a no contest plea in April to second-degree murder. Authorities said she drove her then-boyfriend, 26-year-old Zakeem Jones, to the home of her ex-boyfriend, 33-year-old Devon L. Williams, on March 29, 2023, where Williams was shot and killed.
According to prior reporting by Law&Crime, Burns-Cross and Jones had argued after a night of drinking, allegedly over Jones’ interactions with other women. Burns-Cross later testified at Jones’ murder trial that, after the dispute, she made plans to meet with Williams.
Investigators said Jones then looked through Burns-Cross’s phone, found text messages between her and Williams, and became furious. Prosecutors said he instructed her to arrange a trip from Indiana to see Williams and decided to go along.
When they arrived at Williams’ duplex in Buena Vista Township, Michigan, Jones was armed with a 9 mm handgun, according to court testimony. Prosecutors said he told Burns-Cross to lure Williams outside. When that did not happen, Burns-Cross went into the home and Jones followed behind her.
Williams was inside with several children and was seated at a table when the pair entered, authorities said. After noticing Jones in the house, Williams tried to flee, but the front door was locked. Jones then opened fire, striking Williams multiple times. He died at the scene.
“Devon Williams was unarmed in his own home and had no idea what was coming,” the prosecutor said. “He lost a battle he didn’t know he was fighting … in a cold-blooded, premeditated ambush.”
Prosecutors said the killing was fueled by jealousy, arguing Jones sought to “obliterate the competition” after discovering the messages between his fiancee and her former partner.
Burns-Cross and Jones then fled back to Indiana.
Jones was at large until September 2024, when he was extradited to Michigan after being released from prison in Illinois. He was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and multiple firearm-related felonies and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Burns-Cross was arrested in July 2023 and charged with first-degree murder and felony weapons charges, which were dropped when she pleaded no contest to second-degree murder.
