OFFICE OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ATTORNEY

PETER J. ORPUT COUNTY A TTORNEY

Press Release
Contact: Pete Orput FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 651-430-6115 DATE: August 14, 2017

MAPLEWOODMANPLEADSGUILTYTOATTEMPTED1STDEGREEMURDER

CountyAttorneyPeteOrputtodayannouncedthatDavidEdwardWilliams,Jr.,22,of
MaplewoodenteredaguiltypleatochargesofAttempted1stDegreeMurderintheJanuary
21,2017,incidentathisparentshouseinWoodbury.Williamsfacesupto20yearsinprison
uponhisplea.KevinMuellerprosecutedthiscase.

Accordingtothecriminalcomplaintfiledinthiscase,Williamsbroughtabagfullofweapons
overtohisparentshomeinWoodbury.Herepeatedlybeathismotherontheheadwitha
hammer,tiedherupandtoldherhewasgoingtokillher.Williamsusedhismotherscell
phonetolurehisfathertothehouse.Uponhisfathersarrival,hepointedashotgunatthe
father,threatenedtokillbothparentsandplacedhisfatherinachairnexttohistiedup
mother.Hecontinuedtobrandishashotgunandahatchetashisparentswereimmobilized.

Orputstated,Therecouldbeonlyonereasonableoutcometothiscase,andthatisan
Attempted1stDegreeMurderconviction.Weintendtoaskthecourttosentencetothe
statutorymaximumgiventheheinousnatureofthisoffense.

####

(criminalcomplaintfollows)

Electronically Served 82-CR-17-290

8/7/2017 3:02 PM
Washington County, MN
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State of Minnesota E E District Court

COURTADMWISTRATOR
County of WashingtonD .
D 10th Judicial District
B y_T(*m CJiyrosecutor 5) I

File No. CR-2017-108

Court File No. 82-CR-17290

State of Minnesota, COMPLAINT

Plaintiff, Summons
VS. [X] Amended

DAVID EDWARD WILLIAMS JR DOB: 09/21/1994

2350 Stillwater Avenue E
#312
Maplewood, MN 55119
Defendant.

The Complainant submits this complaint to the Court and states that there is probable cause to believe
Defendant committed the following offense(s):

COUNT l

Charge: Attempt, Dangerous Weapon Firearm Murder -1 st Degree - Premeditated

Minnesota Statute: 609.185(a)(1), with reference to: 609.185, 609.171, 609.11.5(a)
Maximum Sentence: 20 years (Minn. Stat. 609.17, Subd. 4(1))
Offense Level: Felony

Offense Date (on or about): 01/21/2017

Control #(ICR#): 11616661

Charge Description: cause the death of Victim 1 (female age 51) with premeditation and with intent to
effect the death of the victim or another

COUNT II

Charge: Dangerous Weapon - Firearm Assault-2nd Degree-Dangerous Weapon

Minnesota Statute: 609.2221, with reference to: 609.2221, 609.11.5(a)
Maximum Sentence: 7 years and $14,000
Offense Level: Felony

Offense Date (on or about): 01/21/2017

Control #(ICR#): 11616661

Charge Description: assault another, to-wit: Victim 2 (male age 51), with a dangerous weapon, to wit:
shotgun
 82-CR-17-290

STATEMENT OF PROBABLE CAUSE

The Complainant states that the following facts establish probable cause:

Your complainant a licensed peace ofcer with the Woodbury Police Department. Based on the
is

discovery, complainant offers the following statement to establish probable cause:

On January 1940 hours, law enforcement was dispatched following a reported

21, 2017, at approximately
assault with deadly weapons by David Edward Vllliams Jr, DOB: 9/21/1994 ("DEFENDANT WILLIAMS"),
upon his two parents at a residential address in the City of Woodbury, County of Washington, State of
Minnesota.

Victim 2 (male age 51) drove Victim 1 (female age 51) to Woodwind's Hospital for emergency care after
the attack. At Woodwind's Hospital, law enforcement observed Victim 1, whose arms and face were
covered in blood and head was wrapped with dressing. \ctim 1 was screaming out in pain.

Thereafter, law enforcement spoke with \ctim 1, who was crying and shaking while she reported the
son DEFENDANT WILLIAMS showed up at their residence in Woodbury between 4 and 5
following: her
pm. on January 21, 2017; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS is bipolar and moved out of his parent's residence
last summer, stopped taking his medications, and started doing drugs and consuming alcohol; after
entering his parents residence, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS was standing behind Victim 1, making her feel
uncomfortable; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS started conscating the phones and told Victim 1 that he was
going to hurt her; Victim 1 saw that DEFENDANT WILLIAMS had a hammer in his hand; DEFENDANT
WILLIAMS blocked Victim 1's exit with a recliner and began hitting \ctim 1 in the head with the hammer
and would not stop; Victim 1 stated that shewas struck repeatedly in the head with the hammer by
DEFENDANT WILLIAMS; Victim 1 stuck between the coffee table and the couch, and DEFENDANT
was
WILLIAMS kept bashing her in the head; Victim 1 did not know how many times DEFENDANT WILLIAMS
her with the hammer in her head; Victim 1 thought she was going to die because DEFENDANT
hit

WILLIAMS just kept going and would not stop; Victim 1 nally removed herself from between the coffee
table and the couch; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS grabbed a chair from the sun room and told \ctim 1 to sit in
it; Victim 1 stated "please don't hurt me" and "leave me alone"; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS said "I am going
to hit you again" and he duct taped Victim 1 to the chair; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS closed all of the blinds
in the house; Victim 1 was bleeding everywhere, getting dizzy, and kept asking DEFENDANT WILLIAMS
to let her go to see a doctor; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS retrieved a big black bag that contained a black
long gun, baseball bat, knife, and hatchet; \ctim 1 believed DEFENDANT WILLIAMS retrieved the bag
from his vehicle after he tied up Victim 1; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS loaded the long gun with ammunition;
DEFENDANT WILLIAMS kept saying he was going to kill Victim 1 and he slapped her in the head;
DEFENDANT WILLIAMS was like a wild animal, pacing with a gun, hatchet and knife on his person; at one
point, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS stated that it was a good thing that another particular family member was
not present, otherwise he would be doing the same thing to her; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS texted Victim 2
from \ctim 1's phone pretending to be Victim 1 in an effort to lure Victim 2 to the residence; DEFENDANT
WILLIAMS stated that he was going to kill Victim 2 rst; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS positioned Victim 1 in
her chair so that she was the rst thing Victim 2 saw when he walked in the door; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS
had saved his medications and was throwing them at Victim 1 during the attack, later stating that he was
upset that his parents medicated him as a child for bipolar disorder; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS took all the
phones and destroyed them with the hatchet; Victim 2 walked in the door, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS was
pointing the gun at Victim 2, and ordered Victim 2 to sit in a chair he placed right beside Victim 1;
DEFENDANT WILLIAMS loaded the gun and kept pointing it at \ctim 1 and Victim 2; DEFENDANT
WILLIAMS kept saying he was going to kill Victim 1 and \ctim 2, or maybe just one of them and then
2
 82-CR-17-290

himself, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS said he was going to smoke marijuana one last time before he killed

himself, then smoked marijuana and became calmer; thereafter, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS nally released
Victim 1 from her taped restraints and allowed \ctim 1 and Victim 2 to leave the residence.

Law enforcement also spoke with Victim 2, who came home that evening at
reported the following: he
approximately 1830 hours and found Victim 1 bound to a chair; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS had hit \ctim 1
in the head with a hammer numerous times; DEFENDANT WILLIAMS was next to Victim 1 with a long gun,

ordered \ctim 2 to sit down, and pointed the gun at Victim 1 and Victim 2 stating that he was going to kill
them and then himself; \ctim 2 convinced DEFENDANT WILLIAMS to let them leave; Victim 1 and Victim
2 ed without any phones and left in Victim 2's vehicle; they reported the incident upon arrival at
cell

Woodwind's Hospital; at one point during the incident, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS stated that this was not
going to end the way that he wanted it to end.

Law enforcement including the SWAT team made contact with DEFENDANT WILLIAMS, who was still at

the residence and surrendered after several hours of negotiation.Law enforcement recovered the following
from the residence: a 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition, multiple knives, a hatchet (hidden in a ceiling
channel), duct tape, damaged phones, and medications. Law enforcement also retrieved DEFENDANT
WILLIAMS' journal type document, in which he wrote, under a "1/21/17" entry, "Last day. Decided to show
mercy. I didn't think I could spare them but I guess can. Good bye.
I
I'm sorry I hit you. I've lost my mind."

Before surrendering to law enforcement, DEFENDANT WILLIAMS disposed of the hammer and cleaned
up the residence.

Law enforcement learned by way of rearm records and store surveillance that DEFENDANT WILLIAMS
purchased the shotgun and ammunition from Dick's sporting goods in Woodbury on December 7, 2016.
Victim 1 reported that DEFENDANT WILLIAMS had previously threatened Victim 1 and another family
member before Christmas, and as a result, the locks on Victim 1 and Victim 2's home were changed.
Victim 2 reported that DEFENDANT WILLIAMS had previously been demanding a list of all the people
who were involved in putting DEFENDANT WILLIAMS on medications, but would not disclose what he
intended to do with the list.

Law enforcement Ieamed that \ctim 1 sustained the following injuries as a result of the attack: an open
numerous puncture wounds to her scalp, lacerations to her left hand, traumatic brain injury,
skull fracture,
post traumatic stress disorder, and post concussive disorder. Victim 1's medical treatment is extensive
and ongoing, requiring surgery and 12-15 medical appointments each week. \ctim 1 is participating in
numerous different types of therapy, including for example, neurological therapy, trauma therapy, vision
therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and acupuncture. \ctim 1 suffers from constant
headaches, naseau, dizziness, and pain as a result of the attack perpetrated by DEFENDANT WILLIAMS.

Victim 1 thought she was going to die during the attack. Victim 1 is terried of the possibility of
DEFENDANT WILLIAMS being released from custody.
 82-CR-17-290

SIGNATURES AND APPROVALS

Complainant requests that Defendant, subject to bail or conditions of release, be:

(1) arrested or that other lawful steps be taken to obtain Defendant's appearance in court; or
(2) detained, if already in custody, pending further proceedings; and that said Defendant otherwise
be dealt with according to law.

Complainant declares under penalty of perjury that everything stated in this document is true and
correct. Minn. Stat. 358.116; Minn. R. Crim. P. 2.01, subds. 1, 2.

Complainant Yvette A Hammond Electronically Signed:

Police Ofcer 08/03/2017 03:37 PM
2100 Radio Drive Washington County, Minnesota
Woodbury, MN 55125

Being authorized to prosecute the offenses charged, I approve this complaint.

Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Mueller Electronically Signed:

PO Box 6 08/03/2017 03:18 PM
15015 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN. 55082
(651) 430-6115
 82-CR-17-290

FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE

From the above sworn facts, and any supporting afdavits or supplemental sworn testimony, I, the Issuing Ofcer, have

determined that probable cause exists to support, subject to bail or conditions of release where applicable, Defendant's arrest

or other lawful steps be taken to obtain Defendants appearance in court. or Defendants detention, if already in custody,
pending further proceedings. Defendant is therefore charged with the above-stated offense(s).

|X| SUMMONS
THEREFORE YOU, THE DEFENDANT, ARE SUMMONED to appear on at AMIPM
before the above-named court at 14949 62nd Street N PO Box 3802 Stillwater, MN 55082 3802 to answer this
complaint.

IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR in response to this SUMMONS, a WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST shall be issued.

|:|
WARRANT
To the Sheriff of the above-named county; or other person authorized to execute this warrant: I order, in the name of the State

of Minnesota, that the Defendant be apprehended and arrested without delay and brought promptly before the court (if in

session), and if not, before a Judge or Judicial Ofcer of such court without unnecessary delay, and in any event not later than

36 hours after the arrest or as soon as such Judge or Judicial Ofcer is available to be dealt with according to law.

[:I Execute in MN Only I] Execute Nationwide [I Execute in Border States

D ORDER OF DETENTION
Since the Defendant is already in custody, | order, subject to ball or conditions of release, that the Defendant continue to be
detained pending further proceedings.

Bail: $
Conditions of Release:

This complaint, duly subscribed and sworn to or signed under penalty of perjury, is issued by the undersigned Judicial Ofcer
as of the following date: August 4, 2017.

Judicial Ofcer B W Ekstrum Electronically Signed: 08/04/2017 12:30 PM

District Court Judge

Sworn testimony has been given before the Judicial Ofcer by the following witnesses:

COUNTY OF WASHINGTON
STATE OF MINNESOTA

State of Minnesota
Plaintiff
LAWENFORCEMENT OFFICER RETURN OF SERVICE
I hereby Certify and Return that l have served a copy of this
vs. Summons upon the Defendant herein named.
Signature of Authorized Service Agent:
David Edward Williams Jr
Defendant