Post by Anja Nieser on Oct 1, 2006 6:29:34 GMT -5
COUPLE TELLS OF SUSPICIONS ABOUT SUSPECT
The Tyler couple who first alerted police to Clifton Lamar Williams'
possible involvement in the slaying of an elderly woman testified Thursday
in his capital murder trial.
Williams, 23, is charged with beating, strangling and stabbing to death
Cecelia Schneider, 93, before setting her body on fire and stealing her
car and purse on July 9, 2005. He faces life in prison or the death
penalty if convicted.
Misty Winters, who used to live a few houses down from Ms. Schneider on
Callahan Street, testified the victim was a friend and "like a
grandmother" to her children. She said she cleaned Ms. Schneider's home
monthly and was last there the Thursday before her murder.
Mrs. Winters said she and her husband went out of town and returned
Sunday, July 10, 2005, when they received a message about Ms. Schneider's
death. She said after talking to her former neighbor, Sharon Harris,
regarding her death and Williams' possible involvement, she felt that
police needed to be informed.
Ms. Harris testified Wednesday that she told Ms. Winters about a story
Williams had told her daughter - that he had stabbed a man after the man
threatened him with a gun. After seeing no news reports of a stabbed man
and the news of Ms. Schneider, they became suspicious of Williams, Ms.
Harris said.
Mrs. Winters testified that she encouraged Ms. Harris to call police with
the information.
Her husband, Greg Winters, who is in the Navy and recently returned from
Iraq, said he was out of town when Ms. Schneider was killed and said it
hurt him when people around him get hurt and he's not available to help
them.
When his wife relayed the information about Williams, Winters decided that
if Ms. Harris didn't call police, he would. He said he also encouraged
Jamarist "Monterrall" Paxton to go to the police and tell them what
Williams had told him.
Paxton has testified that Williams came to his house early July 9, 2005,
and told him the story of stabbing a man. "Man, I just messed up. I just
killed somebody," Paxton claimed Williams told him. Paxton said there was
blood on Williams' white T-shirt and blue jean shorts, and that he showed
him a cut on his hand.
Williams claimed that Paxton killed Ms. Schneider and forced him to go
along, cut his hand to leave DNA and to drive the victim's car. Paxton
denied any involvement in the murder.
Winters testified that he had painted and repaired Ms. Schneider's home.
He said he and his wife looked out for her and were there when she needed
them. He called her a "sweet old lady" who had been like his grandma.
Winters said he met Williams once but saw him visit his neighbors often.
REFUSED TO TESTIFY
Courtney "Daniel" Warren was brought into court outside the presence of
the jury and after prosecutors announced they intended to call him to
testify in the trial, he invoked his 5th Amendment right not to testify on
grounds that it could incriminate him. He said he would not answer any
questions from prosecutors or defense attorneys.
His attorney, Richard Kennedy, advised him of his rights and said he has a
pending felony charge. Warren is in jail, Paxton testified that he knew
Warren as Williams' friend and he sold crack cocaine to Warren and
Williams.
William Oliver, Williams' brother-in-law, testified that Williams came to
his house near Noonday and woke him at about 5 a.m. on July 9, 2005. He
said Williams told him he had cut himself while fighting over a knife with
a man.
He said he saw that Williams' hand was wrapped up and Williams insisted on
changing his clothes. Oliver loaned him clothes and Williams threw away
the white T-shirt and blue jean shorts.
Oliver said he didn't believe the story partly because his clothes didn't
look like he had been in a fight and did not have blood on them.
Oliver said he asked Williams whose champagne-colored car he was driving
and Williams said he took it from the man he fought. He said Williams made
a phone call and told someone to "get out of the house." He also told him
to tell Williams' sister that he loved her.
Oliver said he didn't recall telling police that Williams told him he
stabbed the man.
Later on the phone, Oliver told Williams he had seen the car he'd been
driving on the news.
Tyler Police Detective Donald Malmstrom testified how and he and Sgt.
Connie Castle gathered evidence from the wrecked Toyota Camry, found on
Greenbriar Road, and from the pond off of County Road 1113, where Williams
led police to the knife and victim's purse.
Sgt. Castle testified that a fingerprint found on the outside of the car
matched Williams. She said a palm print located on the back of the car did
not match Williams' or Paxton's and she did not have a print of Ms.
Schneider's to compare.
The trial will continue Friday in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens
Kent's court. Defense attorneys Melvin Thompson and LaJuanda Lacy are
representing Williams while Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham
and First Assistant DA April Sikes are prosecuting the case.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)
The Tyler couple who first alerted police to Clifton Lamar Williams'
possible involvement in the slaying of an elderly woman testified Thursday
in his capital murder trial.
Williams, 23, is charged with beating, strangling and stabbing to death
Cecelia Schneider, 93, before setting her body on fire and stealing her
car and purse on July 9, 2005. He faces life in prison or the death
penalty if convicted.
Misty Winters, who used to live a few houses down from Ms. Schneider on
Callahan Street, testified the victim was a friend and "like a
grandmother" to her children. She said she cleaned Ms. Schneider's home
monthly and was last there the Thursday before her murder.
Mrs. Winters said she and her husband went out of town and returned
Sunday, July 10, 2005, when they received a message about Ms. Schneider's
death. She said after talking to her former neighbor, Sharon Harris,
regarding her death and Williams' possible involvement, she felt that
police needed to be informed.
Ms. Harris testified Wednesday that she told Ms. Winters about a story
Williams had told her daughter - that he had stabbed a man after the man
threatened him with a gun. After seeing no news reports of a stabbed man
and the news of Ms. Schneider, they became suspicious of Williams, Ms.
Harris said.
Mrs. Winters testified that she encouraged Ms. Harris to call police with
the information.
Her husband, Greg Winters, who is in the Navy and recently returned from
Iraq, said he was out of town when Ms. Schneider was killed and said it
hurt him when people around him get hurt and he's not available to help
them.
When his wife relayed the information about Williams, Winters decided that
if Ms. Harris didn't call police, he would. He said he also encouraged
Jamarist "Monterrall" Paxton to go to the police and tell them what
Williams had told him.
Paxton has testified that Williams came to his house early July 9, 2005,
and told him the story of stabbing a man. "Man, I just messed up. I just
killed somebody," Paxton claimed Williams told him. Paxton said there was
blood on Williams' white T-shirt and blue jean shorts, and that he showed
him a cut on his hand.
Williams claimed that Paxton killed Ms. Schneider and forced him to go
along, cut his hand to leave DNA and to drive the victim's car. Paxton
denied any involvement in the murder.
Winters testified that he had painted and repaired Ms. Schneider's home.
He said he and his wife looked out for her and were there when she needed
them. He called her a "sweet old lady" who had been like his grandma.
Winters said he met Williams once but saw him visit his neighbors often.
REFUSED TO TESTIFY
Courtney "Daniel" Warren was brought into court outside the presence of
the jury and after prosecutors announced they intended to call him to
testify in the trial, he invoked his 5th Amendment right not to testify on
grounds that it could incriminate him. He said he would not answer any
questions from prosecutors or defense attorneys.
His attorney, Richard Kennedy, advised him of his rights and said he has a
pending felony charge. Warren is in jail, Paxton testified that he knew
Warren as Williams' friend and he sold crack cocaine to Warren and
Williams.
William Oliver, Williams' brother-in-law, testified that Williams came to
his house near Noonday and woke him at about 5 a.m. on July 9, 2005. He
said Williams told him he had cut himself while fighting over a knife with
a man.
He said he saw that Williams' hand was wrapped up and Williams insisted on
changing his clothes. Oliver loaned him clothes and Williams threw away
the white T-shirt and blue jean shorts.
Oliver said he didn't believe the story partly because his clothes didn't
look like he had been in a fight and did not have blood on them.
Oliver said he asked Williams whose champagne-colored car he was driving
and Williams said he took it from the man he fought. He said Williams made
a phone call and told someone to "get out of the house." He also told him
to tell Williams' sister that he loved her.
Oliver said he didn't recall telling police that Williams told him he
stabbed the man.
Later on the phone, Oliver told Williams he had seen the car he'd been
driving on the news.
Tyler Police Detective Donald Malmstrom testified how and he and Sgt.
Connie Castle gathered evidence from the wrecked Toyota Camry, found on
Greenbriar Road, and from the pond off of County Road 1113, where Williams
led police to the knife and victim's purse.
Sgt. Castle testified that a fingerprint found on the outside of the car
matched Williams. She said a palm print located on the back of the car did
not match Williams' or Paxton's and she did not have a print of Ms.
Schneider's to compare.
The trial will continue Friday in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens
Kent's court. Defense attorneys Melvin Thompson and LaJuanda Lacy are
representing Williams while Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham
and First Assistant DA April Sikes are prosecuting the case.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)