Exclusive: Man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing woman could be set free from prison

How this could happen. I am talking the the victim's family

SAGINAW, Mich - A Michigan family is once again grappling with the painful memories of a brutal 1997 murder, as the convicted killer, Shytour Williams, who was sentenced to life without parole, is facing yet another resentencing hearing. The case, which shook the community decades ago, is now being reopened due to changes in the law, potentially allowing Williams, originally sentenced as a minor, to be released.

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In 1997, Karen King, a young woman described by her family as "amazingly beautiful," was brutally raped, tortured, and murdered in a case that was described as nothing short of nightmarish. Shytour Williams, who was 15 years old at the time of the crime, was convicted by a jury and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The horrific details of the case—ranging from premeditated murder and rape to carjacking and torture—left an indelible mark on Karen’s family and the community.

Jeanie, Karen King’s sister, recalls the intense fear and trauma that followed the trial, including having to relocate due to fears of retaliation. “When the jury convicted him, we thought it was over, that we could finally start to grieve properly,” she said. The family believed they could begin the healing process, knowing the man who committed such heinous acts would never see the light of day again.

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However, in recent years, legal changes have begun to unravel that sense of closure. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for juveniles constituted cruel and unusual punishment, necessitating resentencing for many convicted under these laws, including Williams. Although his life sentence was upheld in 2022 by Judge Trice, the family recently received a letter notifying them of another upcoming hearing, raising the prospect that Williams could once again have his sentence reduced or potentially be released.

The hearing, set for August 26, 2024, is expected to involve a motion to deny life without parole for Williams and could potentially exclude victim impact statements, which are crucial for the King family’s healing process. “We’re fighting for Karen,” Jeanie stressed. “She can’t speak, so we have to. Excluding our statements would be devastating.”

The King family, already struggling with health issues and the emotional toll of reliving their trauma, is now facing the possibility of having to confront Karen’s killer in court once again. They are calling for community support to pack the courtroom during the upcoming hearings, hoping to send a strong message against leniency for such violent crimes.

Jeanie voiced deep concern about the precedent these legal changes could set, not just for their family, but for other families of victims across the state. She expressed fear that the leniency trend could allow more violent criminals to seek resentencing, forcing victims’ families to endure their pain all over again. “It’s like the criminals have more rights than the victims,” Jeanie said, highlighting the injustice she feels her family is facing.

As the August hearing approaches, the King family remains hopeful that the court will uphold the original sentence and keep Shytour Williams behind bars for life, sparing them—and the community—the terror of his potential release.