Wisconsin Woman Kills Friend After Becoming ‘Paranoid’ From Marijuana, Police Say
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN — A 32-year-old Milwaukee woman is accused of fatally shooting her friend after reportedly becoming paranoid from smoking marijuana and believing her companion was going to stab her with scissors. Authorities identified the suspect as Jamica Mills and the victim as 26-year-old Ariel Spillner, a pharmacy student at Concordia University.
Mills faces a charge of first-degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon, according to court documents.
Deadly Shooting Inside Milwaukee Apartment
Police responded around 9:43 p.m. on November 4 to a possible shooting at an apartment complex in the 5100 block of 39th Street. When officers entered the lower unit, they found both women wounded — Mills lying on her back with a gunshot wound to her abdomen, and Spillner face down on the couch, unresponsive.
Emergency personnel pronounced Spillner dead at 9:52 p.m., confirming she had suffered a gunshot wound to her left shoulder. A .38-caliber Ruger handgun and two spent shell casings were recovered from the scene.
Investigators noted a burned bullet hole in Mills’s shirt, suggesting she shot herself at close range after firing the fatal shot at her friend.
Police Say Suspect Initially Claimed Memory Loss
A witness told police she heard one of the women say, “B—, you tripping,” before two gunshots rang out. Mills was described as combative and uncooperative both at the scene and later at Froedtert Hospital, where she received treatment for her wound.
During an interview, Mills claimed she couldn’t remember what happened, saying she woke up in the living room and later found herself at the hospital. However, after further questioning, she admitted to shooting Spillner.
Mills Admitted to Shooting Out of Fear
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime, Mills told detectives she and Spillner had gone to the store around 9 p.m. before returning home to smoke marijuana. Both women allegedly became paranoid, and Mills said she feared Spillner “would stab her” while preparing to cut her dog’s hair with scissors.
Mills admitted retrieving her gun from her bedroom, then shooting Spillner once after perceiving a hand motion. She then claimed she accidentally shot herself in the stomach while leaving the room.
Mills later told investigators she didn’t mean to kill her friend but “understood firearms can kill people.”
Victim Remembered as Promising Student
An autopsy confirmed that Spillner died from a gunshot wound to her upper-left chest area. Friends described her as a dedicated pharmacy student with a bright future ahead. A GoFundMe page has been launched in her memory.
A Milwaukee County judge has set Mills’s bond at $150,000, and her preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 17.
As this tragic case unfolds, it underscores how paranoia and poor judgment under the influence can lead to irreversible consequences. For continued updates on Wisconsin court proceedings and community news, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.