Michele Williams

This has become one of those cases that after researching, and then researching again, and even starting to compile it together at least once, a stiff drink may be in order by the time I am finished.  

I always try to be as accurate as I can be on the information that I find and yet I try to also condense it down as much as I possibly can.  It is not unusual for me to got back and double check things when it comes to the stage of putting it all together.  It is also not unusual for me to be unable to resolve an issue but I try to be factual in my telling of the story and state when there is conflicting or confusing information.  This became one of the rare cases where everything seemed to be confusing from just exactly what happened when, to even at what points the defendant was in jail and when she was not. It seems that so many articles have been written about this case that the dates all seemed to run into each other.  It was often hard to determine what was said when, and by whom. With that in mind, please keep in mind that I will do my best to clarify the best I can.

Here is what I can tell you for sure.... On October 13, 2011 Gregg Williams was found dead in his bed in his home in Keller Texas.  His wife, Michele has told different stories to different people, her children, the authorities, her attorneys and even the media.  She was convicted of his murder in September of 2014 and sentenced to sixty years in prison.

When authorities first came to the home and found Gregg Williams they already knew things did not look right and the story Michele told did not make sense at all.  Michele would tell investigators that she was asleep on the couch with her four year old daughter and that an intruder (I'm pretty sure one of her versions had two of them) came into the home, hit her on the side of the face with a wrench, knocking her out and then killing her husband while he slept in the bed. When asked about the intruder she indicated she had no idea who it was. When asked if anyone had a grudge against her husband she was quick to name his ex-wife, Kathy, the mother of Gregg's fourteen year old daughter.  But, that is the only person she named.

It is unclear if Michele just willingly and unassisted changed her story quickly or if authorities confronted her once more information came in but her next story was that Gregg had committed suicide and that she had cleaned up the scene to protect their daughter from knowing her father had killed himself.  This would explain why the gun used in his death was Gregg's gun and it was left at the scene.  It would also seemingly explain why forensic testing found not prints or DNA anywhere on the weapons since she openly admitted to cleaning the scene with wipes and then flushing them down the toilet.

Despite her new story explaining why her first story did not make sense, things still did not add up for investigators, or seemingly her family, including her two grown sons.  

Michele and Gregg had married in 2007.  Michele had two sons and a daughter; Gregg had a daughter and then they had a daughter together.  While I could not determine their reasons it seems that both of Michele's sons, Lee and Andrew O'Brien, had a dislike of Gregg.  To be fair, after hearing stories I am unsure they would have liked anyone their mother was with or married to or at least been close to them because according to them Gregg was just one of a series of men in and out of Michele's life.  And despite the murder of her husband, Gregg would not be the last man in her life.  That became a man named Gene Wallis who had at one time been her son Lee's best friend.  You will hear more about Gene later.

Michele was arrested for the first time in January of 2012, three months after the murder.  It appears that she made bail at some point and was fitted with a GPS monitor.  Prosecutors really wanted her for this murder but they were not sure they had all the evidence they needed or could get to secure a conviction so in late 2013 they offered Michele a plea deal.  If she pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and a seemingly Texas charge of "deadly conduct" (which means "wielding a weapon irresponsibly") she could face between 2.5 years and twenty years as a sentence.  It would be her right, or challenge I should say to get the least amount in which the judge would allow.  This deal was made in October of 2013, but there was a catch.  Michele was claiming that she was pregnant, with twins no less, and it appears that there is some law that allows a pregnant woman to delay hearings in cases.  It appears that everyone, the judge, the prosecutors, the defense attorneys, everyone, believed her to be pregnant simply on her word and her sentencing was to be delayed until April of 2014 after she would have given birth.  She was allowed to remain out of jail on bail during this time.

By the end of January 2014 she was brought back into court for what appears to be a status hearing.  It was then that it was discovered that she was "no longer" pregnant and so instead of waiting until April for the hearing to accept the plea deal and be sentenced it was moved up to February.  At some point during this time Michele had granted an interview with the show 48 Hours.  It was here in which she told her story, only this time she was back to the intruder story saying she was pressured by authorities to claim the suicide. She would also indicate in the interview that she had an idea of who the supposed "intruder" was. When she went back to court the following month, presumably to accept the plea deal things came to a crashing halt.  

Once again this became a confusing part of this story.  Some reports indicate that it was the judge and the prosecutor who revoked the plea deal while others say that it was Michele who then refused to plead guilty.  She was questioned about the interview she had given and stuck with the intruder story.  Do not get excited, by her trial she was back to the suicide story.  It was at this point that her attorneys, who were still defending her and her actions asked to be released.  The judge not only allowed them to back out of the case, he himself removed himself from the case.  

Michele's trial began in September of 2014 and it was full of excitement and twists and turns.  One of the first people put on the stand was Michele's younger son, Andrew O'Brien.  He told the jury that after Gregg had died that he and his brother had gone to the home to help his mother emotionally as well as help clean up the house, presumably to get Gregg's things out.  Andrew claims that at some point his mother asked him to call a friend (apparently no one specific) and have them buy a big sweater.  She then wanted the person to put the sweater on but to be sure to wear "trash bags" underneath as well as not touch it so there was no DNA on it.  She wanted this person to then go and shoot a gun while wearing this sweater to ensure gun powder residue would land on it. They were then to put the sweater in Kathy Williams' (Gregg's ex-wife) car and then call 9-1-1 with an anonymous tip.  Andrew said he never planned on following through with this but pacified his mother thinking she was just simply having a mental breakdown.  Then it seems just like that Michele told him that he had not killed himself, as she had just said he had, but that someone had come into the home and shot Gregg but that the police had made her say it was a suicide.  He said weeks later she would again claim to him that it was a suicide.  It seems that Andrew just kept "playing the game" with his mother until the day she came to him with the intruder story again but this time suggested that it could have been Andrew's brother, Lee. According to Andrew at this point he was done with his mother.  He began to fully believe that she had in fact murdered her husband and now she was going as far as accusing her son... his brother... of doing it.  

The prosecution had several witnesses on the stand talking about the crime scene, Michele's ever changing stories, the forensics... etc.  One witness would testify that the tests indicated that Gregg had been shot from a distance of six to twenty-four inches from his head.  This particular witness claimed they had never seen a suicide (keep in mind the defense at trial was back to the suicide story) in which the gun was this far away.

There would also be evidence brought up in trial of the Williams' finances. Gregg ran a computer programming company out of his home.  It was determined that in 2011 Gregg had netted over $850,000 so the Williams should have been living the high life.  The problem was, at least those who knew the couple, Michele lived that high life to the hilt.  The couple was in the process of buying a new home and were supposed to close on the home, making a large down payment in two days.  I found two reports on just how much money they had at the time.  One stated that the account in which Gregg had deposited all that money in was only showing a balance of $1,000 at the time of his death.  Other indicated that there was around $28,000 total in all accounts owned by the couple and neither of these amounts would have allowed them to make the payment that was expected in two days.  Prosecutors allege that either Gregg found this out on his own the day, or the days leading up to his murder, or that Michele just simply had to tell him and that may have been the last straw in this relationship for him.  Prosecutors believe that she waited until Gregg had gone to bed and then shot him with his own gun.  Michele did have a mark on her face, that was red and likely beginning to bruise when authorities had shown up that day.  She had alleged she had been hit in the face with the wrench but prosecutors believe that she and Gregg may in fact have had a physical fight and he had struck her.  However, with all of her stories it could be just as likely that she struck herself.

I should add in here a theory in which the prosecution believes explained some of the changing stories.  Obviously Michele did not want to get caught for murdering her husband, I mean, who would?  Gregg had a life insurance policy that amounted to $800,000 that presumably Michele would get, most, if not all of.  There was a suicide clause in the policy so if he committed suicide the money would not be received.  This is why they theorize that instead of saying suicide in the beginning Michele came up with the intruder theory.  Presumably as time went on and the charges were being filed it is likely that the insurance would have never gone to her anyway.  Keep in mind besides the daughter they had together Gregg also had another daughter.  At most if their daughter received money AND Michele beat the murder charges she may have gotten access to a portion but again that seemed unlikely by the time her trial came about.  At that point it was about saving her own butt and staying out of jail, hence the defense stuck with the suicide story at trial as it made more sense than the intruder story.

The trial itself was rather mundane as far as trials would go, well aside from the fact that the interview Michele gave to 48 Hours was played for the jury. The defense really had nothing to counter and while I cannot say for sure because again, things seemed so confusing to understand, but while Michele did not take the stand in her own defense, it seems that no one else did either.  It was through their opening, closing and cross examination of prosecution witnesses that the defense spoke of the alleged suicide defense.  The jury took seven hours before returning a verdict of guilty.

Now... the sentencing phase, which is usually very routine and of little excitement other than victim impact statements was much different.  It was here that the prosecution could bring up a lot of things that were not allowed in the trial.  Now the prosecution gets to tell the jury about her alleged pregnancy and her behavior not just before the murder but after also.

It appears that sometime in September or October of 2013 Michele had asked to have her GPS bracelet loosened.  She reported she was pregnant with twins an her ankles were going to swell.  Now, her regular probation officer was a woman, but that is not who she asked.  I cannot say that the probation officer who did agree to loosen the bracelet was a man but with her reputation it would not surprise me.  At any rate, the person she asked, and who did loosen it was likely not very familiar with her antics.  It appears her regular probation officer was already having issues with her at this point and questioning her on a lot of things, just as curious women do with other women.  So, remember, around this time is when prosecutors are trying to make a deal with her and she agrees but due to her "pregnancy" asked for sentencing to be delayed? Then she goes into court the end of January and says that she "lost" the babies?  Well some digging began to be done and several things were discovered.  First the records were looked into on her GPS bracelet and it was learned that twenty-six of the thirty days in November it showed absolutely no movement.  This occurred again for twenty-three of the thirty-one days in December.  The probation officer stated even on patients that are on bed rest with the bracelet there is movement. She also looked into the days there were movement and not one of those days did Michele got to a doctor.  Others dug into the information and could find no record anywhere that stated that she was pregnant, or any record of a miscarriage.  Once again this became an area in which I found conflicting information.  The first report I read about this lack of documentation about any miscarriage indicated that the time of the supposed miscarriage Michele was incarcerated and that jail infirmary would have records if this had occurred and there were none.  Later reports indicated that she was not incarcerated considering the probation officer discussed times the GPS bracelet showed no movement.  

Michele's son Lee would testify that at a family gathering Michele had carried the GPS in her purse showing that she was able to remove it.  And, either Gene Wallis would admit and testify or it would be discovered that the days in which the GPS showed no movement in December the two of them had gone on a beach vacation.  

Michele's older sister would testify that when it came to Michele and the truth, they were not on good terms.  She also claimed that this pregnancy was not the first in which Michele was to known to have faked.  

Once again Michele did not speak on her own behalf, nor did the defense call anyone for her.  In the end the jury decided to sentence her to sixty years in prison.  According to the Texas Department of Corrections her maximum sentence will be reached in 2074.

I would be remiss if I did not add the foot note to this case.  It is alleged that Gregg Williams may have not been Michele's only, or even first victim.  About ten months before Gregg's murder his brother in law, Brynn Fletcher was found dead in a company vehicle (he worked for Greg) on the side of the road on the highway.  Brynn was married to Gregg's sister, Michelle, and was said to be his best friend.  Brynn was going on a business trip using the company truck. According to his wife, Brynn was originally from England and did not know all the routes very well.  On this particular day he had followed directions given to him by Michele Williams.  The truck he was driving was near a tower of some sort.  Brynn was in the truck with gunshot to his head.  Authorities ruled the death a suicide but his wife and her family disagree.  They claim that Michele Williams had to be involved.  Why do they think this?  Well first they claim that just after the body had been found Michele contacted the authorities and asked them to just fill her in on everything and leave Michelle Fletcher be as she was grief stricken.  Michele Williams then set things up to have Brynn Fletcher cremated the following day.  Michelle Fletcher claims she was tricked into signing the papers.  The family also claims that during the time in which Brynn died that several family members claim that Michele was calling them and made special note to state she was shopping at Target which seemed to be so insignificant but to them claims she was attempting to establish an alibi. Michelle Fletcher claims that the area in which the truck was found could have easily been noted on the road and would have been an easy place to "meet."  It is her belief that Michelle Williams contacted Brynn and for whatever reason had him stop there to meet her.  She also claims that Michele Williams had been making accusations that Gregg's daughter was trying to poison her and that it was reasonable to believe that Brynn may pass this information onto Gregg who would have never accepted the allegations and would have caused problems.  

To be fair the authorities have said the Brynn Fletcher case is closed and will not be reopened.  Aside from no longer having a body to examine Michelle Fletcher claims there are two reports that differ on where the gunshot was located. She claims the ME report states the gunshot wound was between the eyes but the police report says the right side of the head.  Brynn Fletcher was left handed.

**** I want to note that coincidentally there was another Michele and Greg Williams who were married and a murder occurred.  This Michele and Greg lived in Ohio and in 1993 this Greg was also murdered by his wife, Michele.  I plan to research the case at a later date**** 

Comments

  1. There should be a series on the Michelle Williams case on Bravo like Dirty John

    ReplyDelete

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