(Woodland, CA) – November 3, 2017 – Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced that yesterday a two-commissioner panel of the Board of Parole Hearings denied the parole of 60-year-old Carl Williams. Williams is serving a life sentence with the Arkansas Department of Corrections, Tucker Unit. The hearing took place by video conference at the California Department of Corrections “Sacramento Central Office.” This was Williams’ third lifer hearing.
On April 7, 1989, 31-year-old Williams was staying at a motel in West Sacramento. He was dealing and using crack cocaine. He met Evelyn Munoz who had been staying with him for a couple of days. Ms. Munoz was working at the Department of Motor Vehicles and was going through a difficult divorce. Williams wanted to use Ms. Munoz’ car to sell crack cocaine and he and Ms. Munoz got into an argument. Williams became violently angry and strangled Ms. Munoz by stuffing a sheet down her throat. A witness in a nearby room twice heard Ms. Munoz beg for her life saying “Help, help me.” After strangling Ms. Munoz, Williams found her keys and left with her car.
A Yolo County jury convicted Williams of First Degree Murder in 1990 and he was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in State Prison. Because he had family in Arkansas, and due to prison overcrowding in California, the California Department of Corrections granted his request to serve his prison sentence in Arkansas.
The November 2, 2017 hearing took four hours to complete. Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven represented the District Attorney’s Office. Two daughters of Ms. Munoz, as well as her son-in-law, attended the lifer hearing. All three made powerful statements to the Commissioners talking about how the brutal murder of their mother impacted their lives. District Attorney Victim Advocate Alma Rosas attended the hearing to support the family members.
Board of Parole Hearings Commissioners Pete Labahn and Steven Russo determined that Williams still posed an unreasonable risk to public safety should he be released from prison. Commissioner Labahn stated that “This was a cruel crime that remains disturbing to this day.” In pronouncing the five-year denial, Labahn stated that “Mr. Williams still has an inadequate understanding of what made him the dangerous man who killed Ms. Munoz.”
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated that he was very pleased with the five-year denial. “The daughters of Ms. Munoz have been suffering immeasurable pain since this 1989 senseless and brutal murder,” said Reisig. “We will do everything we can on their behalf to honor Evelyn Munoz and to keep society safe from this dangerous man. That is the very least we can do for this family and all families who have survived similar tragedies.”
Carl Williams will be eligible for a new parole hearing in 2022; however, the law permits him to request an earlier hearing date if circumstances change that would increase his likelihood of release.
Family members of murder victim Evelyn Munoz and District Attorney Victim Advocate (far right) show a sense of relief after the November 3, 2017 lifer hearing.
Family members of murder victim Evelyn Munoz and District Attorney Victim Advocate (far right) after the November 3, 2017 lifer hearing.
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