Zion teen charged with fatal shooting of mother reading Bible to daughter held on $3M bond
ZION, Ill. - Bond has been set at $3 million for a Zion teen accused of firing shots that killed a 23-year-old mother who was reading the Bible to her daughter in October.
Zechariah C. Myles, 16, is charged as an adult with six counts of first-degree murder in the death of Melanie Yates.
On Oct. 17 at about 9 p.m., police were dispatched to a residence in the 2800 block of Enoch Avenue for a report of shots fired.
Yates was in her home that night reading the Bible to her youngest daughter when a stray bullet traveled into the house.
Melanie Yates - Zechariah Myles
The married mom of two died at the hospital the next day from her injuries.
Yates wasn’t the intended target, police said.
According to police, Myles allegedly exited his home and began recklessly shooting a rifle at another individual. Yates was struck by a stray round.
"We will seek justice for the Yates family in the courtroom; we will pursue a sentence that deters others from entering a life of violence; we will seek to unpack and understand the social circumstances that led to a 16-year-old having a rifle in the first place and causing so much pain," said State’s Attorney Rinehart. "We must do everything in our power to support the survivors and to prevent this tragic crime from happening to others."
On Wednesday, Myles pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The judge set a case management hearing for Feb. 15.
Myles is being held in custody of juvenile facilities with his bail set at $3 million.