Mark Lee Williams

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information ORIGINAL CDR Number: 24-85-UF Version Type: VERSION Report Date: 1/25/2024 2:47 PM Status: Submitted Agency/Facility Information Lamesa Police Agency Name: Agency Address: 601 South 1St Dept. Agency City: Lamesa Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 79331 Director Information Director Salutation: Chief Director First Name: Joshua Director Middle Name: Director Last Name: Peterson Reporter Name: Wally Garza Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Identity of Deceased First Name: Mark Middle Name: Lee Last Name: Williams Suffix: Date of Birth: 5/17/1982 Sex: Male Race: Anglo or White Age At Time Of Death: 41 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 1/9/2024 6:40 PM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Death Date and Time: 1/9/2024 6:50 PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results are Evaluation?: available What was the manner of death? (select only one) Homicide (includes Manner of Death: Justifiable Homicide) Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Gunshot wound through both lungs and heart Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: No If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Law Who caused the death?: enforcement/correctional personnel If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Handgun death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Not Applicable; cause of death was Pre existing medical accidental injury, condition?: intoxication, suicide or homicide If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Means of Death: Firearm Location / Custody Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Where did the event causing the death occur? 2300 block S. 8th Street - Villa Street Address: City: Lamesa Apartments Complex County: Dawson Zip: 79331 What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: Field/woods/lake/waterway/beach What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Pre-Custodial Use Type of Custody: of Force Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Custody of Law Enforcement Personnel during/fleeing arrest What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Entry Date Time: Entry Date Time N/A: Where did the death occur? Death Location: Scene of incident General Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Other Agencies Respond?: No What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Offense 2: Offense 3: Not filed at time of Were the Charges:: death What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Crimes Against Type of Offense: Child(ren) At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of Yes, mark all that weapons: apply Decedent Display or Use Displayed other Weapon Details: weapon, specify: Specify Weapon Displayed: A black in color handgun that appeared to be a realistic .9mm handgun, but later to be found was a BB gun and was pointed at Law Enforcement Officer as a real threat of deadly force At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Yes (select all that Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Attempt to Injure Others?: apply) Attempted to injure Ways Decedent Attempted To law enforcement Injure Others: personnel At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or Unknown Make suicidal statements?: Unknown drugs): Exhibit any mental health Unknown Exhibit any medical problems?: Unknown problems?: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or Yes No standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's Yes No officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to No Yes including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession No officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Under Restraint: No Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: On Monday January 1st, 2024 and at approximately 0100 the Lamesa Police Department (Corporal Alexis Valencia #330) responded to the Villa Apartments #9 located at 2300 block of S. 8th Street in Lamesa, Texas in regards to a domestic issue. During her initial response and while speaking a 13-year-old female juvenile identified as Felicita Cannady W/F DOB: 11-10-2010, Felicita made an outcry of sexual assault and abuse by her step-father who was identified as Mark Lee Williams W/M DOB: 05/17/1982. Felicita was later transported to Lamesa Medical Arts hospital in Lamesa, Texas for initial observation and medical treatment. Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Felicita was later transported to UMC Hospital in Lubbock, Texas for a SANE exam to be performed. Felicita was discharged by UMC on Tuesday January 2nd, 2024 at approximately 3:00pm. Child Protective Services investigator Trish Moreno assisted in placing Felicita with a family relative away from the previous address. A C.A.C. forensic interview was conducted on Wednesday January 3rd, 2024 at the Midland Rape and Crisis Center located at 1700 N. Big Spring Street in Midland, Texas 79701. At the conclusion of that forensic interview, a search warrant and arrest warrant (FL-00788 Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child that was issued by JP Larry Duyck on 01/03/2024) for Mark Lee Williams was requested and granted. The search and arrest warrant yielded negative results that evening and Williams was not apprehended. On Tuesday January 9th, 2024 and at approximately 12:45pm a “911” Emergency Call was received at Lamesa Police Department and the caller did not stay on the call long enough to pick up a direct location, so a tower on the southeast part of town was “Pinging” as the potential location. Lamesa Police Officers responded to the area and were unable to locate anyone having an emergency. Several other “911” calls were made within an hour to an hour and half period and a location was finally established at 1308 S. 12th Street, which was the residence location that Felicita Cannady had been placed in temporarily with an extended family member. Myself, Lieutenant Wally Garza #304, along with CPS investigator Trish Moreno and Lamesa Police Department officers arrived on scene. Felicita had apparent physical injuries to her nose, lip and throat area. She also had a laceration to the abdomen area. CPS Investigator Moreno retrieved Felicita’s mother (Antolina De Hoyos) from the Villa Apartments #9 and brought her to 1308 S. 12th Street. EMS personnel arrived on scene and transported Felicita and her mother Antolina to Medical Arts Hospital for medical treatment to her injuries. During an interview by CPS investigator Trish Moreno, Felicita stated that a male subject dressed in black pants, grey sweatshirt and a hood covering his face had arrived at her location. Felicita stated that this male subject grabbed her from behind as she was trying to walk back into the trailer residence and gripped her around the throat area pushing her inside the trailer. Felicita stated that she believed it to be her step-father Mark Lee Williams due to his physical size and stature and she was able to see his hazel eyes. Felicita stated that he told her that he was going to kill her for “Snitching.” Felicita stated that after he hit her several times making her nose bleed and causing a laceration to her bottom lip, he proceeded to cut her across her abdomen and then exited the trailer and left. Felicita stated that was when she called back on “911” and told the dispatcher to send help her way. CPS investigator Trish Moreno had decided to get Felicita, the mother and 3- siblings moved to the “Safe Place” in Midland, Texas so that they would be safe from any further harm by Mark Lee Williams. I, Lieutenant Wally Garza #304, along with several Lamesa Police Department officers accompanied CPS Investigator Trish Moreno so that she could load up the victim and her family moved out. During this time, we were checking the Villa Apartments in the event that we could locate Mark Lee Williams and execute the arrest warrant (FL-00788 Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child that was issued by JP Larry Duyck on 01/03/2024). Chief Joshua Peterson #301 had been located on County Road “J” adjacent to the west side of the Villa Apartments in order to watch the outside perimeter of the complex. At approximately 6:35pm a white male subject wearing light grey sweat pants and a grey sweatshirt hoodie with a black shirt over it and white tennis shoes started running between the apartment complex buildings straight south. The officers yelled at this subject to “Stop” ;“Police” and he continued running away from officers. I was on the north side of the buildings closest to apartment #12 and as I turned the corner and began to run southwest in the last known direction of where I knew that Chief Joshua Peterson had stated he would be, I observed Chief Peterson discharging his duty weapon in the direction to the southwest. I do not recall how many shots he fired. I began to run towards his location. As I arrived to where he was, I observed a white male subject who was later identified as Mark Lee Williams laying on the ground. Chief Peterson advised me that Mark had a black in color handgun in his hand. Chief advised that he gave Mark several order to stop and drop the gun and he did not do and as he turned towards him and that was when he discharged his duty weapon at Mark Williams. Responding officers that were chasing on foot, immediately placed hand restraints on Mark and secured him with his hands behind his back. Officers began to perform life-saving techniques to include chest seals and wound packaging to at least three known gunshot wounds. Officers reapplied the hand restraints moving the hands to the front so that they could perform CPR chest compressions until they were told to discontinue by EMS personnel that responded. Dr. Mark Key remotely, declared Mark Lee Williams deceased. Justice of the Peace Larry Duyck was notified and arrived on scene to perform his duties. Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- I notified Department of Public Safety Texas Ranger Dominic Zuniga about the Officer Involved Shooting and our location. The scene was secured and I remained on scene taking photographs of all the evidence in its original location. Ranger Zuniga, and other assisting Texas Rangers arrived to map out scene of the incident. Chief Peterson’s duty weapon and body worn camera were secured in my patrol unit (23-01). Chief Peterson’s duty weapon was released to Ranger Zuniga where it was photographed and made secure. Ranger Zuniga took possession of all evidence located at the scene. The scene was cleared and the body of Mark Lee Williams was recovered by Miller Mortuary and transported to the Lubbock Medical Examiner’s Office located at 202 Ave Q in Lubbock, Texas 79415 where an autopsy would be performed on Wednesday January 10th, 2024 at 8:30am. Custodial Death Report :: Page 8 of 8