Wife of Jailed Former Kaufman County JP Confessed to Involvement in DA Murders, Implicated Husband

Kim Williams, 46, was booked into Kaufman County jail early Wednesday morning

ByABC News
April 17, 2013, 10:04 AM

April 17, 2013— -- Kim Williams, the wife of a former Kaufman County, Texas, justice of the peace, confessed to her involvement in shooting a district attorney, his wife, and an assistant district attorney, and implicated her husband in the shootings as well, according to a charging affidavit released today.

Williams, 46, was arrested and charged with capital murder. She was booked into the Kaufman County Jail just before 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Kaufman County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Justin Lewis said in a press conference today. She is being held on $10 million bail.

"Kim Williams described in detail her role along with that of her husband, Eric Williams whom she reported to have shot to death Mark Hasse on January 31, 2013, and Michael and Cynthia McLelland on March 30, 2013," the charging document stated.

Williams' arrest follows an intensive investigation into the slayings of the county officials. McLelland, 63, and his wife, 65, were found shot dead in their Forney, Texas, home March 30. Hasse was gunned down in January outside the county courthouse.

She joins her husband, Eric Williams, also 46, in jail. He was arrested and charged with making a "terroristic threat" early Saturday morning and is being held on a $3 million bond.

Eric Williams was arrested on Saturday after authorities executed a search of his home and his storage facility from Friday afternoon into the early hours of Saturday morning, ABC affiliate WFAA-TV reported. Police removed boxes, computers and guns from his residence. His bond was set at $3 million.

Lewis made no mention of additional charges against Eric Williams in the three-minute press conference today. The Sheriff's Office is holding a press conference Thursday at 1:30 p.m., the spokesman said. Police did not take questions today from reporters.

Authorities found 20 guns -- including assault rifles and handguns -- as well as a white Ford Crown Victoria inside a storage unit belonging to Mr. Williams that was similar to the one seen leaving the McLellands' neighborhood around the time of the killings, WFAA reported.

According to Eric Williams' arrest warrant, law enforcement officials received a threatening email sent anonymously on March 31, which stated that unless they "responded to the demands of the writer, another attack would occur."

Upon searching the Williams' home, investigators were able to identity that Eric Williams had sent the email from his personal computer, the warrant stated.

The guns police found in Williams' possession will be compared with the ballistics in the killings.

Earlier this month, Eric Williams' hands were tested for gunshot residue. The test results were negative, officials said.

The district attorney's office prosecuted and convicted Williams last year for two counts of felony theft, which resulted in his losing his justice of the peace position.

According to the charging document, both the slain DAs carried guns because they "believed Eric Williams was a threat to their personal safety."

The family of the McLellands issued the following statement: "We are happy an arrest has been made. We would like to thank all of the law enforcement agencies, local, state, and federal, for all of their hard work and long hours spent on this case." The family met today with officials and told ABC News they learned that special prosecutors will seek a change of venue for any trial against Eric and Kim Williams, which they hope to bring forward within the next year or two.

ABC News' Pierre Thomas and Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.

Editor's Note: This story has been changed to reflect that Kim Williams confessed to her involvement in the shooting deaths and implicated her husband in the shootings. A previous version of the story stated that she confessed to committing the shootings herself.