LAFAYETTE MAN SENTENCED TO 60 YEARS FOR ATTEMTPED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND SECOND DEGREE KIDNAPPING

On November 21, 2021, shortly after midnight, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a shots-fired complaint in Bayou Vista.  Neighbors directed them to an apartment where they located the victim, who had been shot in the head.  While emergency medical personnel worked to save the victim, the deputies learned that the victim’s 18-month-old daughter had been taken from the residence.

An Amber Alert was issued and Derrick Lee Williams, Jr. — the victim’s ex-boyfriend and the father of the child — was quickly identified as a suspect. One of Williams’ family members returned the child to law enforcement within twenty-four hours of the shooting.  However, a multi-agency effort was required to locate and apprehend Williams.

Investigation revealed that, in part due to past incidents of domestic violence, the victim had full custody of the child.  Further, the victim had just told Williams that she was in a new relationship.  Williams armed himself with a rifle and had another girlfriend drive him to Bayou Vista. He then went to the victim’s apartment where he made her call her new boyfriend and tell him that she could not see him anymore.  Williams then forced the victim onto her knees, shot her in the head, “execution-style,” and left with their child.

Ultimately, Williams was charged with attempted second degree murder and second degree kidnapping.  Williams pled guilty to those charges on November 9, 2023.

The sentencing range for attempted second degree murder is not less than ten years nor more than fifty years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.  The sentencing range for second degree kidnapping is not less than five nor more than forty years at hard labor, with at least two years of the sentence without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.  However, the District Attorney’s Office also invoked Louisiana’s firearms sentencing enhancement provisions, which increases the minimum penalty to twenty years at hard labor.

A sentencing hearing was held before the Honorable Lewis Pitman, Jr. on February 5. 2024. The victim testified at the sentencing.

For the attempted second degree murder conviction, Judge Pitman sentenced Williams to forty years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.  For the second degree kidnapping conviction, Judge Pitman sentenced Williams to twenty years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. The sentences are to run consecutively.

Assistant District Attorney Heather Hendrix says, “This victim experienced horror and trauma that is unimaginable, yet she miraculously survived and is thriving. She, her daughter, and her family are amazing people who are warriors for victims of domestic violence. Please seek help if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence. Contact your local law enforcement agency or family violence crisis center.”

In St. Mary, Assumption, Iberia, and St. Martin Parishes, Chez Hope assists victims of domestic violence; their crisis hotline number is 1-888-411-1333 and their website is www.chezhope.org.

Assistant District Attorney Heather Hendrix prosecuted the case.  The cases were investigated by the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Lafayette Police Department, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, the United States Marshal’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Acadian Ambulance and the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory.