Tire shop killer sentenced to nearly eight decades in prison

Fred Williams Jr. (Madison County State's Attorney's office photo)

An East Saint Louis man who killed a Granite City tire shop employee in what prosecutors called an execution in broad daylight is headed to prison.

A judge sentenced 33-year-old Fred Williams Junior to 78 years behind bars on Thursday. A jury found Williams guilty of first-degree murder and reckless discharge of a gun, back in March.

Surveillance video shows Williams firing multiple gunshots at 30-year-old Delas Carter of Alorton back on a June day in 2012. Investigators say Williams started to walk away after a first round of shots were fired, but then came back to shoot some more.

The Major Case Squad was unable to determine a motive for the killing, but found the men knew each other.

Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine said quote, "The prosecution is glad the judge saw this criminal for who he is: a ruthless killer who needs to remain safely behind bars for a long time."

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