Her family remembered her as goofy, funny, smart, positive and loving; she was the youngest of four sisters and was honored after her death with a balloon release by family and friends.

On the afternoon of Sunday, June 23, 2024, officers responded to a shooting in the 500 block of East 22nd Street and found Makylia suffering apparent gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel attempted life-saving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide detectives took over, secured the scene, canvassed for witnesses and surveillance, and the Pulaski County Coroner’s office sent her body to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy. Her parents, Fabian Matthews and Robin Watson, were notified.

The investigation led to two arrests in August 2024: 21-year-old Nemiah Woods was arrested August 21, and 20-year-old Zacorian Hickey was arrested August 26; both were charged with capital murder. One of the men went to trial and was acquitted in May 2026.