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Sky Lemmons-Dixon, of Albany, suffered a single gunshot wound to the head inside a residence on State Street Monday morning, Dec. 25, according to Albany Police.
She spent over a week at Albany Medical Center Hospital before finally succumbing to her injuries on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
No suspects had been arrested as of Thursday evening, Jan. 4.
The killing came just six days after Lemmons-Dixon’s former boyfriend, 41-year-old Houston Ketter, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after an Albany County jury convicted him of attempted murder.
Prosecutors said Ketter “acted in an especially cruel and wanton manner” when he doused a 38-year-old woman in charcoal lighter fluid and set her on fire near Bradford and Robin streets in Albany in November 2022.
The woman suffered second- and third-degree burns to 26-percent of her body but survived. She later testified that Ketter was upset because she owed him money for drugs.
Months after that attack, in January 2023, Ketter burned Lemmons-Dixon with a heated kitchen pot, causing second- and third-degree burns.
Lemmons-Dixon told investigators that Ketter had repeatedly abused her during their four-month relationship, including breaking her arm and trying to set her on fire.
She also told the Albany County DA’s office that she feared for her life because of her cooperation in the case, court documents obtained by CBS 6 show.
Her protective order against him expired in October 2023, two weeks before the trial, and the woman disappeared shortly thereafter, the outlet reports.
The Albany County judge overseeing the trial ruled that Ketter was involved in Lemmons-Dixon’s disappearance and allowed her grand jury testimony to be shared with jurors.
Police have not named Ketter as a person of interest in her death, but CBS 6 reports he was recorded in a jail phone call asking someone to Google what happens if a witness or a victim does not appear at trial.
In response to Lemmons-Dixon’s death, the Albany County District Attorney’s Office released the following statement:
"Members of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office are grieving alongside the loved ones of Sky Lemmons-Dixon following her untimely death earlier this week.
As the death of Ms. Lemmons-Dixon remains under investigation, we will not comment on the specifics of this case, per our standard practice.
However, in response to inquiries from the media concerning a previous case, we would like to clarify, the office uses every available resource to ensure the safety of our victims and witnesses.
Despite ongoing speculation concerning the circumstances surrounding Ms. Lemmons-Dixon’s death, we advise against drawing conclusions before the close of the investigation.”
The agency asked anyone with information in the case to contact Albany Police at 518-462-8039.
Meanwhile, news of the woman’s death has triggered an outpouring of tributes on social media.
“She was more than just a victim, she was a loving, caring soul with a gentle heart and a safe space for many,” Costly Loss wrote on Facebook.
“She was a woman with dreams, she one day hoped to have a family of her own. Although it was short lived, her life was so valuable and her existence has touched the hearts of many.”
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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