A Wisconsin man who had already been charged with murder allegedly attempted to hire one of his fellow inmates to kill witnesses in his case.
DeAndre Williams, 22, is charged with four counts of solicitation of first-degree intentional homicide, according to court documents. Williams faced a court commissioner in Milwaukee on Saturday regarding the new charges.
Commissioner Barry Phillips, who presided over the hearing, detailed some of the allegations in a video of the proceedings posted by local Fox affiliate WITI.
“You allegedly told your cellmate, ‘She knows how I get down, so slide on her and shut her up, too,'” said Phillips. “Now that is some devious stuff right there.”
At this point, Williams put his hand in his sleeve and began to cry. But Phillips was having none of it.
“I think it is ironic that you have been in court the whole time crying, because when I read the allegations against you, it is not allegations of someone that cries,” Phillips told the jury. “But you are in court, crying. It is too late for that.
WITI obtained a copy of the criminal complaint, which stated that Williams approached an inmate who he believed would be released from jail soon. Williams reportedly compiled a list of ten witnesses and people who could speak about his character.
“No face no case!” Williams allegedly said.
The inmate went to his lawyer and reported Williams’ request.
Williams is charged with murdering 17-year-old Romell Campbell outside a liquor store in September 2024. Cops put him on Wisconsin’s Most Wanted list earlier this year, prompting Williams to turn himself in.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, citing a probable cause arrest affidavit, that he was inside the store and upset about the recent death of a friend when the incident occurred.
After purchasing a bottle of spirits, Williams began walking out of the store around 3:30 p.m. on September 23 and looking towards Campbell. According to the affidavit, Williams asked Campbell what he was looking at before pistol whipping him and shooting him dead.
The suspect, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the homicide charge, has been in the Milwaukee County Jail since February, according to records. He has a $310,000 bond. His next court date is set for July 15.
