Fred L. Williams v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court affirmed Williams’s convictions for first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse and his life sentence. It held that substantial circumstantial evidence supported the jury’s finding that Williams purposely caused Walton’s death, including his admission that he placed a bag over her head, concealment of the body, disposal of evidence, inconsistent statements, and evidence of physical injuries. The court also held that burying and concealing the body outside normal practices supported the abuse-of-a-corpse conviction.