|
Connie Williams
was sentenced to death for murdering and dismembering his wife
Francesca. He was sentenced to death on March 2, 2002. Williams was
convicted of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.
The jury deliberated
about 5 hours on the guilt phase and another 5 hours on the punishment
phase before deciding Williams should be executed.
Family members of the
victim were satisfied with the jury's decision and relieved for it to be
done and over with, according to a prosecutor.
Connie Williams stabbed
his wife Frances Williams, 53, with a knife while he was cooking steak
and home fries in August 1999. After the murder, he sawed off her head,
hands and feet and stuffed them in a freezer before dumping them
elsewhere.
Williams had a previous
murder conviction for killing his landlord in the 70s. He had served 7
years for second degree murder.
Williams claimed that
he killed his wife in a fit of passion after they had argued about money
and her threats of divorce. Williams also claimed he never realized what
he had done until he found his wife's remains in the freezer. Williams
then reported his wife missing. After police found traces of Frances's
blood in the home, Williams confessed.
Williams has tested as
low as 59 on IQ tests, so has a strong case for appeal since the Supreme
Court has refused to allow the execution of mentally retarded killers.
The jury heard evidence
regarding the low IQ but one juror said it did not overcome the
aggravating factor of the prior murder conviction.
|
