Domestic dispute leads to arrest of suspect in double murder

LEFLORE COUNTY – Authorities said a domestic dispute between a man and his girlfriend led to the arrest of the man who was wanted for a double murder committed six years ago. Joseph W. Williams Jr., 33, was arrested by the Leflore County Sheriff’s department after they responded to a call at the residence of the woman.

Reportedly, the landlord called authorities and asked them to remove Williams from the premises. When deputies questioned the woman, she reportedly told officials that Williams was wanted for two murders in Detroit, Mich.

Chief Investigator Ken Spencer with the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department said authorities notified the FBI to confirm that Williams was a wanted fugitive.

“It was just a domestic call,” Spencer said. “There was no violence involved. It was nothing physical of that sort. The deputy went out there to mediate and talk to him. And we found out there were three warrants on him, two for murder and one for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.”

According to the Greenwood Commonwealth, authorities believe Williams was involved in the murders of William Alsup and Labaron McKee on Jan. 28, 2004 in Detroit. According to information supplied to Banks by the FBI, Williams, whose street name at the time of the shootings was “Cadillac Mike,” was indicted in Detroit for murder in the shootings of both men.

The Commonwealth also said once Leflore County authorities identified Williams as a fugitive, Williams fled the area on foot. Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks told the Commonwealth, “We had a manhunt that lasted a couple of hours,” Banks said.

Deputies eventually found Williams in an old cotton gin on Racetrack Plantation hiding under a pile of tires, the sheriff said. By that point, FBI agents from the Greenville office had joined in the search.

Williams was taken into custody and transported to the Leflore County jail until he was transferred to Bolivar County pending an initial appearance before the federal magistrate.

Spencer said Williams had been living in Greenwood for several years at the Racetrack Plantation, on County Road 101, where he was employed as a farmer.