William Williams murder trial underway in Shelton

The trial for accused murderer William Williams, 41, continued this week with the prosecution calling witnesses.

Williams has claimed self-defense in the death of Janus Afo on Sept. 28 in downtown Shelton, according to court filings from Williams’ attorney Justus Kandoll.

“The defendant is asserting Self Defense-justifiable homicide and will likely testify to his knowledge about specific acts committed by Mr. Afo that created a reasonable apprehension of danger for Mr. Williams. Several officers are familiar with Mr. Afo and his reputation in the community of violence, drug debt collecting, and intimidating witnesses,” according to a trial memorandum filed Sept. 11.

Williams’ girlfriend, Kennedy Karpf, owed Afo money and Afo went looking for Williams in order to collect, Kandoll wrote in the memorandum.

“Mr. Afo struck the vehicle multiple times with kicks, punches, ripping off the passenger mirror and damaging the window. Mr. Afo made comments threatening Williams as he attempted to get to Williams,” according to Kandoll.

Williams then opened the passenger door and shot Afo, the memorandum states.

Before the jury entered Tuesday, Judge Daniel Goodell ruled parties can’t refer to a “drug debt,” but can reference a “debt” Karpf allegedly owed Afo.

William Williams, looking dramatically different from his Oct. 11 arresting mugshot, was in court wearing glasses, clean-shaven except for a small goatee and had short, slicked back hair.

Two Mason County Sheriff’s deputies were in the courtroom. Four of Williams’ supporters and one reporter were the only ones attending the trial Tuesday morning.

After the jury was seated, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tyler Bickerton called Shelton Police Department Captain Daniel Patton to the stand.

Patton was a sergeant Sept. 28 and interviewed Afo’s girlfriend Santana Krise at Mason General Hospital the night of Afo’s death.

Bickerton took Patton through the steps of establishing probable cause, obtaining a search and arrest warrant and gathering of evidence.

On cross-examination, Kandoll questioned Patton’s objectivity.

“Is it important for the investigator to remain objective?” Kandoll asked.

“Yes sir,” Patton responded.

“Is it critical to avoid jumping to conclusions?”

Patton hesitated.

“It’s important to keep your mind open. Not to focus on one theory,” he said.

Kandoll then asked Patton if he knew about the damage Afo allegedly caused to Williams’ car when Patton interviewed Krise.

“You hadn’t seen the mirror on the ground?” Kandoll asked.

“Correct,” Patton said.

“Or passenger window of the Camry?”

“Correct.”

Kandoll said one of the first things Patton did was to make a promise to Krise “to hold whoever did this responsible.”

“That person is William Williams, right?” Kandoll said.