Tuscaloosa man pleads guilty to fatally stabbing ex-wife after getting out of prison on small loan

A Tuscaloosa man has pleaded guilty to murdering his ex-wife in 2020 in west Alabama.

Travis Terrell Williams, 41, was charged with capital murder in the killing of his wife, Maronda Parker Williams, 49.

District Attorney Andy Hamlin, who represents Alabama’s 24th Judicial Circuit, said Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of murder this week. Circuit Judge Sam Junkin sentenced Williams to two consecutive life sentences.

“I am pleased that we were able to achieve justice for Ms. Williams and her loved ones without subjecting them to an emotional and difficult jury trial,” Hamlin said Friday.

“I sincerely hope he spends the rest of his life behind bars.

A friend found the victim dead at her home on Alabama Highway 19 East outside Fayette on Jan. 21, 2020. Charging documents again said Williams said the victim had been stabbed.

Authorities described Parker Williams’ death as a brutal attack.

The ex-husband had recently been released from prison after serving time for a conviction in Tuscaloosa County when he visited his ex-wife’s home on January 19, 2020.

He took the trip because she agreed to lend him money and became violent when she offered him $50 less than the $250 he asked for, Hamlin said.

Parker was found dead two days later. She suffered multiple injuries in the attack and investigators recovered two bloody knives from a trash can outside the home.

Evidence collected at the scene revealed that Williams had broken a window and arranged items around the house to make it appear like a burglary.

He then threw his ex-wife’s phone, wallet and shoes at an outdoor gas station on Highway 43 North while driving home to Tuscaloosa.

“Defendant Travis Williams has a long history of violence and our community is safer with him behind bars,” Hamlin said. “This case highlights the importance of supporting victims of domestic violence and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. »

The case was investigated by agents with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation Division of the District Attorney’s Office. district.