Michael D. Williams, 47, of Deland — near Orlando — was arrested Sept. 18 by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office after he called 911 and admitted to shooting ex-wife Marsha Ebanks-Williams, 48, and her son Robert Adams, 28; “Yeah, I shot him and his mother,” Williams told the dispatcher, according to the 911 recording obtained by WESH. “I had my gun on me and while they were attacking me, I basically had to do it. I shot them.’ The sheriff’s office disputed his account that he was punched in the face and kicked by the mother and son, citing his photo showing no visible signs of injury. “He claims he was violently assaulted by these two, now, I don’t see anything about this guy,” Chief Deputy Brian Henderson said at a news conference. “This does not appear to be a violent attack that warrants multiple shootings.” Williams — who has a history of domestic violence and child abuse — surrendered to police without incident around 8 p.m. and told police that Ebanks-Williams had been arguing over electricity, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. Ebanks-Williams, a mental health coach, had called police several hours before the attack, seeking “legal advice” about “who’s in control,” Henderson said. Michael D. Williams, 47, of Deland (pictured) was arrested Sept. 18 by the Volusia Sherriff’s Office after he called 911 and admitted to shooting ex-wife Marsha Ebanks-Williams, 48, and her son Robert Adams, 28 years old. Ebanks-Williams (pictured) had reportedly called police hours before the shooting seeking “legal advice” after she and Williams argued over electricity use Adams’ children Faith and Jeramiah (pictured with their dad) were inside the home at the time of the shooting but were unharmed. The police believe they witnessed the murders and are being questioned “Michael was upset, he felt they were leaving the lights on in the house and he went and put a lock on the box outside the house, which Marsha and her son cut into,” Henderson said. Inside the home at the time of the shooting were Adams’ two children, Jeremiah and Faith, ages five and six, who were unharmed. The children do not live at home, but in a residence in Tallahassee. “We believe they may have witnessed this homicide,” Henderson said. “You have a five- and six-year-old who probably saw their father murdered.”
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Child Protective Task Force to interview them. Williams surrendered to police without incident (pictured) after calling 911 and admitting to the dispatcher that he shot the couple. He claimed he was violently attacked and “basically had to” shoot them to protect him Police dispute his account, citing a photograph of him (pictured) that does not show he was physically harmed Police found the gun, which was “locked in a box” inside the residence, as well as the victim’s remains Henderson also revealed that deputies have been to the home “about five times this year” for non-physical arguments between the couple, who split in June. They were married for 10 years. None of those calls resulted in charges, Henderson said.
After police arrived at the scene, they encountered Williams in the driveway of the home the former couple shared. As part of the divorce proceedings, it was agreed that Williams could live there, but Ebanks-Williams was supposed to sell the house and they would split the proceeds. He appeared in court on Monday (pictured) and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder Deputies found the gun “secured in a box” inside the home along with the bodies. Williams was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail on Monday and remains without bond. He also appeared in court Monday and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Ebanks-Williams, who was a mental health coach, and Williams have called police “about five times this year” for non-physical domestic disputes, according to police. The couple were married for 10 years before splitting in June Adams (pictured with his wife) and his mother allegedly cut the lock off the electrical box outside the house that Williams installed to control power usage, angering him.