Witness to double murder died of ‘natural causes’

NATCHEZ – Authorities in Adams County thought they were dealing with a triple homicide during a home invasion, but autopsy reports said otherwise. Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield said Dora Lee, the witness to the murders of Carl Williams and Stephanie Anderson, died as a result of cardiac problems, and not from being pistol-whipped by an intruder.

Mayfield said on Feb. 17, Lee, 39, was visiting her sister, Donna Garner, at 5 East Street in Natchez, when two masked men forced their way into the residence with the intent of robbing Carl Williams.

Mayfield said Williams had just received a large disability settlement and was staying with Garner at her residence.

“Mr. Williams lived in Roxie over in Franklin County and he was just staying there with Garner. Around 11 or 11:30 that night, someone knocked on the door and when they went to answer the door, they burst through the door and pushed it in.”

Mayfield said Lee was alone in the front part of the house with Williams, 50, who was shot three times and died on the scene.

Stephanie Anderson, 19, was also shot and killed while helping her friend, Tina Garner out of the window. Tina, Donna Garner’s daughter, escaped to a neighbor’s house.

Before the shooting began, Lee turned to run and was struck twice in the back of the head by a pistol, Mayfield said.

Officials initially ruled Lee’s death a homicide, but an autopsy performed by the Crime Lab in Jackson said it was natural causes.

“The coroner’s report said she had prior problems including seizures,” Mayfield said. “And we felt like her being pistol whipped could have led to her death, and they said it was possible that it could have. But it wasn’t enough to cause her death. They couldn’t make that definitive. To them, it looked like she had a cardiac event of some type.”

Mayfield said a neighbor called 911 and when authorities arrived they found Williams and Anderson in the residence. Both had been shot with a .40 caliber handgun. That weapon has not been recovered.

Mayfield said two men fled the scene on foot and may have had a vehicle waiting for them down the road.

Mayfield said the motive in the attack was robbery, but the assailants failed to find the money.

“They didn’t get any money off [Mr. Williams],” Mayfield said. “The only money we know of was in the trunk of his car and that was $14,900 in cash. And the car was sitting right out front.”

The case remains under investigation.