Lakesia Collins asked the public to stop circulating video connected to Zenobia Weatherspoon’s death as police continue investigating.
CHICAGO — An Illinois state senator is urging people to stop sharing a video connected to the death of a woman whose body was found inside a garbage can in a Southwest Side alley.
State Sen. Lakesia Collins identified the woman as Zenobia Weatherspoon, who was also known as “Zee.” Chicago police said a woman was found about 6:25 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of West 54th Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
Collins said the circulation of footage connected to the discovery was deepening the pain experienced by Weatherspoon’s relatives. She asked social media users to report the video and have it removed rather than reposting or distributing it further.
“No family should have to witness their loved one’s final moments circulated online,” Collins said in a statement. She called for compassion while Weatherspoon’s family deals with the death and waits for answers from investigators.
The circumstances of Weatherspoon’s death remain unclear. The Cook County medical examiner’s office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death, and police have not said whether the case has been classified as a homicide.
Authorities have not released information about how the woman died, when she died or how her body came to be inside the garbage can. Police also have not announced any arrests or identified a person of interest.
Collins called for a full investigation and said she believes justice will be served for Weatherspoon. She also connected the case to broader fears surrounding missing and murdered women, describing the issue as a crisis affecting families in Chicago and beyond.
The senator said women should be able to live in their neighborhoods without fear and families should not have to endure the uncertainty of wondering whether a missing loved one will return home. Her remarks reflected both the immediate grief surrounding Weatherspoon’s death and concern about how victims are treated after disturbing images reach social media.
Area One detectives are leading the police investigation. The medical examiner’s findings are expected to help determine the direction of the case, but officials have not announced when the autopsy results or an official identification will be released.
Author note: Last updated July 13, 2026.