‘People were drawn to her’: Mother describes daughter who died in New Baden shooting
Alexis Maki’s smile and personality always “radiated” to every person and animal she met.
“There was just something different about her,” said Lisa Brock about her 24-year-old daughter. “She was just so special that people were drawn to her.
“They would comment about her, just the smile on her face and the light that she radiated. She was truly … just the kindest, sweetest person.”
Maki died Saturday and a 25-year-old New Baden man, Emmet E. Metzger, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with her shooting death in an upstairs apartment on Hanover Street in New Baden. Clinton County Coroner Phillip Moss pronounced Maki deceased at the scene at 5:16 p.m.
Metzger is being held in the Clinton County Jail after a judge ordered him to be detained until his trial.
Brock has received messages all week from her daughter’s friends and colleagues.
Maki was a mixologist at Grit and Tonic in Lebanon. Brock said her daughter’s employer described Maki as a dedicated person who customers loved.
When Grit and Tonic needed extra help, Maki would change her plans to accommodate the craft cocktail bar since she had such a “great work ethic,” Brock said.
Grit and Tonic is only open on weekends, so during the week Maki attended classes at Kaskaskia College in Centralia to study radiology. Maki, who went to Wesclin High School, was scheduled to graduate from Kaskaskia in May.
“Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Alexis knew she loved to spend quality time with her family and friends,” states her obituary. “Alexis also had an undeniable passion for bartending, traveling, gaming and caring for animals in need. On top of that, she was a proud pet parent of her beloved dog, ‘Echo,’ and her cats, ‘Scout’ and ‘Honey.’”
Brock said her daughter grew up caring for animals especially during the time when they lived in the Troy area where they had a lake. Ducks, guinea pigs, birds and a pig were all part of the family.
“Echo” is an Australian shepherd and “Honey” was nicknamed “Buns” by Maki. Brock said she will continue caring for her daughter’s pets along with her own dogs as well her mother’s dog since her mom recently died. Brock said they all mean something to her.
Maki followed in her mother’s footsteps as far as her love of animals, Brock said.
“They were just everything to her,” Brock said. “She wanted to take in everything that she could.”
Funeral services
Visitation for Alexis Maki will be 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church at 816 W. Church St. in Mascoutah.
The funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the church with the Rev. Doug Winkler officiating.
Kassly Mortuary of Fairview Heights is handling arrangements.
This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 12:29 PM.
