HONOLULU - A federal jury today found former Army soldier Naeem Williams, 34, guilty of the felony murder of his five year old daughter, Talia Williams, on Wheeler Army Airfield. The jury found Williams guilty of killing his daughter on July 16, 2005, by engaging in child abuse that included beating and punching her. Williams was also convicted of participating, along with his wife, Delilah Williams, in a pattern and practice of assault and torture from December, 2004, until July 16, 2005, that resulted in Talia’s death. In addition, Williams was convicted of conspiring to engage in a pattern and practice of assault and torture leading to death, obstructing justice, and making false statements to Army Criminal Investigation Division agents on the night of his arrest in July, 2005.
Williams is potentially eligible for the death penalty. The penalty phase is scheduled to begin on April 29, 2014. If the jury finds Williams eligible for death, it will then deliberate on whether he should receive the death penalty.
Florence Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said the government will not be able to comment on the verdict until all proceedings have been completed.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Darren Ching and Trial Attorney Steve Mellin from the Capital Case Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
