Clifton Lamar Williams

Case identification

Clifton Lamar Williams (TDCJ Number 999515) was born on 08/23/1983. He was received on 10/27/2006 at age 23. His education level was 11th grade.

Background

Clifton Williams was from Smith County, Smith, Texas. He had prior occupation as a laborer. Clifton Williams had no prior prison record.

The offence

On 07/09/2005 (age 21), in Smith County, Williams entered the residence of a ninety three year old white female. Williams stabbed and asphyxiated her and burned her body. Williams then stole her purse and car and fled the scene.

The victim was a white female identified as Cecelia Schneider, aged 93. She was described as 4-foot, 9-inches tall and living on Callahan Street. Williams later drove her car and insisted on changing his clothes at his sister’s house.

Investigation and evidence

Prosecutors said Williams entered the victim’s back door “swinging,” beat her in the head, retrieved a knife from her kitchen, stabbed her to death, set her body and bed on fire, then stole her purse and car. The victim’s purse contained $40.

The prosecution said Williams was in the victim’s car minutes after her murder. The prosecution said Williams drove to his sister’s house and insisted on changing his clothes. Prosecutors said Williams told his brother-in-law that he cut his hand while fighting a man. Prosecutors said the “overwhelming evidence” included that Williams was familiar with Callahan Street, he cut himself on his right hand while stabbing her, and he left his DNA and fingerprint in her car. Prosecutors said Williams led police to where he discarded the purse and knife used in the murder.

The prosecution said there was no DNA evidence matching Paxton or Williams found in Ms. Schneider’s house.

Prosecutors said Williams made up several stories to witnesses and police before coming up with a story that he was forced by Jamarist “Monterrall” Paxton to go along while he killed the victim. Prosecutors said Williams did it alone.

Defense counsel argued that the evidence in the house could not be evaluated because it had been burned up or washed away, and that the jury could not speculate why there was no evidence.

DNA evidence and fingernails

A DNA analyst testified that a person can transfer DNA to another by everyday contact and Ms. Schneider’s nails were only tested for men's DNA, not a woman's.

First Assistant DA April Sikes said that the DNA from two males found in her fingernails did not match Williams, Paxton, or anyone else involved in the case. Sikes said there was blood in her nails, but the men’s DNA showed that she wasn’t able to fight back.

Trial

Williams was convicted on Monday for the capital murder of an elderly Tyler woman. The jury deliberated about one and one-half hours. The jury found Williams guilty of capital murder: committing murder during the course of another felony offense.

The jury could have also convicted him of murder, aggravated robbery, robbery, arson, aggravated assault, burglary of a habitation, robbery, obstruction, retaliation or theft.

Jurors heard nearly four hours of closing arguments Monday. The punishment trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday in the 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court.

Closing arguments (prosecution)

Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham argued that Williams entered Ms. Schneider's back door “swinging,” brutally beating her in the head before retrieving a knife from her kitchen and stabbing her to death. Bingham said Williams then set her body and her bed on fire before stealing her purse and her car.

Bingham said the victim lived “93 hardworking, law abiding years” before she was killed. He asked the jurors to imagine the viciousness of the attack and argued that Williams was guilty of capital murder. Bingham said the defendant was in Ms. Schneider's car minutes after her murder, and that Williams drove to his sister's house and insisted on changing his clothes.

Bingham said Williams told his brother-in-law that he cut his hand while fighting a man. Bingham said he didn’t have to prove that Williams, who smoked crack cocaine, killed Ms. Schneider for drug money.

Bingham said Williams made up several stories to witnesses and police before coming up with a story about being forced by Paxton to go along while he killed the victim. Bingham said:

“The defendant did this. He did it alone.”

Bingham told the jurors not to give the defendant the benefit for destroying evidence, adding that he burned the victim's body and her bed for a reason. He asked the jurors to convict him of capital murder.

April Sikes said Williams was not threatened or placed under duress by Paxton. She said Williams needed more money to buy crack and found an “easy target” - an elderly woman who lived alone. Sikes said:

“Do not let him fool you ...”
“That man is a cold-blooded killer; nothing less.”
“It’s time to hold that killer responsible for taking her life,” she said.
“unbelievable selfish criminal.”

Sikes said the guilty verdict would not be “real and true justice” but as close to justice as they could get for Ms. Schneider's life.

Closing arguments (defense)

Defense attorney Melvin Thompson said:

“Ms. Schneider's murderer is still walking the streets of this community.”

Thompson asked why Williams would kill the victim for drug money if Williams' girlfriend was at his apartment smoking crack the day of the murder. Thompson argued that the jury could not speculate why there was no evidence in the house because it was burned or washed away.

Thompson said the jury could not convict Williams of capital murder because there was evidence he was in the victim's car, that he was familiar with Callahan Street, or that he lied to police. He said Williams was not charged with stealing a car, but capital murder.

Thompson asked whether the jury believed Williams was at the house because of his statements to police, why it would not believe that Paxton was at the scene because of his statements. Thompson said the statements by Williams were “ramblings of a man with a troubled mind,”—a man who was not on his medication at the time he was interviewed.

Thompson said Paxton removed suspicion from himself by “putting it on” Williams. Thompson said Paxton and people close to him told police the story of Williams telling them he had killed an elderly man in North Tyler. Thompson said:

“I'm not going to call them a liar but something isn't right about their testimony, is it?”

Thompson said Paxton was in prison for eight years for selling dope in a school zone.

Thompson argued that Williams was being used as a “scapegoat” in the murder for Paxton, who threatened Williams with a gun and left no fingerprints or DNA because he was wearing motorcycle gloves. Thompson said:

“We strongly believe the person who plunged the knife into the body of Ms. Schneider is not in custody,” Thompson said.

Thompson told the jurors to ask where the state’s evidence was. Thompson said:

“The DNA doesn't exist,” he said.
“It doesn't matter why it doesn't exist ... The bottom line is there's no evidence and without evidence you can't convict.”

Thompson said Williams came up with explanations for evidence that didn’t exist because of what police told him. Thompson said the one thing Williams didn’t lie about and was consistent about was Paxton. Thompson said:

“We have a wonderful elderly lady who died a violent death” with the DNA of two unknown males under her fingernails.

Sentencing

Williams was sentenced to death on October 27, 2006.

The punishment trial involved a jury in the 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court.

Outcome

Clifton Lamar Williams was convicted of capital murder.

Other details

Paxton was identified as Jamarist “Monterrall” Paxton. Stella Barnes was identified in defense argument as Paxton’s girlfriend. Co-defendants were listed as none.