‘I had my weapon on me and while they were attacking me, I basically, I had to, basically. I shot them’ – Cops doubt Michael D. Williams’ self-defense claims after he killed his ex-wife, 48, and her adult son, 28, during argument over the electric bill
Florida man, 47, shoots dead his ex-wife, 48, and her son, 28, in front of younger man’s two young children during argument over the electric bill
Michael D. Williams, 47, of Deland, Florida, was arrested Sept 18, after he called 911 and admitted to shooting her ex-wife and her son, claiming he fired in self-defense
Williams claimed his ex Marsha Ebanks-Williams, 48, and her son Robert Adams, 28, had violently attacked him and he shot them because he ‘had to, basically’
Authorities question his narrative, citing that he did not show traces of abuse or any bodily harm in his mugshot, despite claiming the pair punched him in the face
Williams told police the ex-couple were fighting about the electricity usage and that she and her son cut the lock off the box he had installed
Ebanks-Williams, a mental health coach, had called police several hours ahead of the attack, seeking ‘legal advice’ about ‘who controls the power’
Adams’ children Jeramiah, 5, and 6-year-old Faith were also inside the home during the shooting but were unharmed – Police are interviewing them as ‘witnesses’
Williams is being held without bond and was charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder

Authorities in Deland, Florida, do not believe the narrative of a man who called police to report that he shot his ex-wife and her son in front of the younger man’s two young children during an argument over the electric bill in the home the divorced couple shared.
Michael D. Williams, 47, was arrested on September 18 by the Volusia Sherriff’s Office after he called 911 and admitted shooting her ex-wife Marsha Ebanks-Williams, 48, and her son Robert Adams, 28 in their home near Orlando and claims it was self-defense.
‘Yes, I shot him and his mother,’ Williams told the dispatcher, according to the 911 recording, obtained by WESH.
‘I had my weapon on me and while they were attacking me, I basically, I had to, basically. I shot them.’


The Sheriff’s Office questioned his narrative that he was punched in the face and kicked by the mother and son, citing his mugshot photo showing no visible signs of injuries.
‘He claims he was violently attacked by these two, now, I don’t see anything on this guy,’ Chief Deputy Brian Henderson said at a press conference.
‘This does not look like a violent attack that warrants being shot multiple times.’
Records show that Williams has a history of domestic violence and child abuse.
He surrendered to police without incident around 8pm that same night, and told police he and Ebanks-Williams were arguing over the electricity usage, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
Ebanks-Williams, a mental health coach, had called police several hours ahead of the attack, seeking ‘legal advice’ about ‘who controls the power,’ Henderson said.

Investigators say Michael Williams became enraged at the family home. He felt that Marsha Williams, her adult son Robert Adams and his two young children, visiting their grandmother from Tallahassee, were using too much electricity.
‘Michael was upset, he felt that they were leaving the lights on in the house and he went and put a lock on the box outside of the house, to which Marsha and her son cut,’ Chief Dep. Henderson said.
Inside the home during the shooting was Adams’ two children Jeremiah, 5, and 6-year-old Faith, who remained unharmed.
‘We do believe the [children], may have been a witness to this homicide,’ Henderson said.
‘You have a five and six-year-old that likely witnessed their father getting murdered.’
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the Florida Depart of Children and Families (DCF) and the Child Protect Team to interview them.

Williams was surrendered to police without incident after calling 911 and admitting to the dispatcher that he shot the pair.
He claimed mother and son violently attacked him and he ‘basically had to’ shoot them to protect him.
Police question his narrative, citing his mugshot that does not show any signs of physical assault.

Masha Ebanks and Michael Williams had been married for 10 years, but divorced in June.
Henderson revealed that deputies have been to the residence ‘about five times this year’ for non-physical domestic disputes between the recently divorced couple, but none of those calls ended with charges, Henderson said.
After police arrived at the scene, they met Williams in the driveway of the home, which the former couple still shared.
As part of the divorce agreement Williams could live there, but Ebanks-Williams was supposed to be selling the house and they would split the profits.


Executing a search against the home, deputies found the murder weapon ‘secured in a box’, alongside the dead bodies.
Williams was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail on Monday and remains without bond.
He also appeared in court on Monday and was charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder.
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