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Posted: Thursday, 06 August 2009 1:38PM
$50M bail for man charged in grandpa slaying
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MARKHAM, Ill. (STNG) -- Bail was set at $50 million Thursday morning for the 23-year-old Chicago man charged with robbing and then fatally stabbing his 88-year-old grandfather in Richton Park.
Craig Williams, of 8916 S. Justine St., was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery Wednesday. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Even if his nephew is the killer, Eddie Williams wants justice for the man who stabbed his 88-year-old father to death at Williams' home in Richton Park.
"I hope he gets whatever is coming to him and to the full extent of the law," Williams said Wednesday afternoon after Craig Williams was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in the stabbing death of his grandfather.
Sim Williams was found dead on the floor of his upstairs bedroom about 12:15 p.m. Sunday in the 22600 block of Amy Drive in the Lakewood subdivision.
He was killed the night after he hosted a family barbecue at his house. The barbecue was moved from Lake Etta in Indiana to his home after it started raining, according to family members.
The Cook County medical examiner's office said Williams died from multiple stab wounds and ruled his death a homicide.
Craig Williams has a minor criminal record. He was charged in 2004 with misdemeanor battery, according to court records.
Eddie Williams said nothing in his nephew's past indicated that he could commit such a brutal crime.
"He's never had any problems with the family," he said, adding that he believes his dad's wallet was stolen during the murder. "We're shocked by it because we couldn't believe it at first. It had to be a stranger, we couldn't believe it was a family member."
Sim Williams' granddaughter Myriam Tillman said her grandfather shared a loving relationship with all of his family - Craig included.
"He loved all of this grandkids very very much," Tillman said. "And we could go to him for whatever reason. Whether it was for comfort or to wish him a happy birthday."
A retired construction worker, Sim Williams lived in his Richton Park home since 2000 with his family, including his wife, Ethel, who died in January 2008. He had six children, 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
His strong bond with his grandchildren made the killing even more puzzling to members of the Williams family.
"Everyone would like to know why it happened because of the the type of person my grandfather was," Tillman said. "There's no answer that can be provided. You would have to be experiencing some kind of psychotic disorder. It's unbelievable. It's not acceptable, and it's inexcusable."
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