Jamica Mills, Milwaukee Woman, Charged in Fatal Shooting of Concordia University Pharmacy Student Ariel Spillner After Alleged Paranoia While Getting High

A Milwaukee woman has been charged in the fatal shooting of her friend, a Concordia University pharmacy student, after allegedly becoming paranoid while the two were smoking marijuana, according to a criminal complaint.

Ariel Spillner, 26, of DeForest, Wisconsin, was in her final year of pharmacy school when she was shot and killed on November 4 by Jamica Mills, 32, at Mills’ home near 39th Street and Lancaster Avenue — an area police say is known for frequent criminal activity.

Prosecutors have charged Mills with first-degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon, in connection with the deadly shooting. According to the complaint, Mills told police the shooting was accidental and that she became fearful her friend would stab her while the two smoked marijuana together. She said she grabbed a gun from her bedroom after becoming paranoid, believing that Spillner — who was holding scissors to groom Mills’ dog — intended to harm her.

Jamica Simone Mills.

Mills said she fired the gun after Spillner made what she described as a “hand motion” that startled her around 9:40 p.m., causing her to shoot. She then claimed to have accidentally shot herself in the stomach while moving toward the front door.

When officers arrived, they found Mills conscious on the floor with a gunshot wound and Spillner pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered a Ruger LCP .380-caliber handgun and two spent casings. Mills was taken to the hospital for treatment, where police said she initially refused to cooperate and claimed to have no memory of the events between the shooting and her hospitalization. She later changed her statement, admitting that both she and Spillner became paranoid while smoking marijuana, which remains illegal for recreational use in Milwaukee.

Mills’ account also acknowledged that Spillner never made threats toward her and that the fear she felt was irrational. Police later executed a search warrant at the home and detained another resident who allegedly lied to investigators, though that person has not yet been formally charged.

Ariel Spillner.

Spillner’s family and friends are struggling to comprehend the senseless loss. Her sister Courtney Spillner told WWNY that Ariel was “literally the best person you could ask for as a friend, a sister, an aunt, or a daughter. She would be there for anyone, no matter what you needed, when you needed it.” The sisters had spoken just an hour and a half before the shooting. “The last thing we said to each other was that we loved each other,” Courtney said. “I’m forever holding that memory close.”

Loved ones have described Ariel as a kind-hearted and ambitious young woman with an infectious laugh and a deep passion for helping others. A GoFundMe has been launched to help cover funeral costs, with her family stating that any remaining funds will go to a charity close to her heart. They have also voiced opposition to any plea deal for Mills, saying they want to ensure Ariel “gets the justice she deserves.”

Mills remains in custody on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on November 17 for a preliminary hearing.

Ariel Spillner.