Suspect and victim watched TV night before fatal stabbing in Marysville

Published 10:59 pm Friday, June 19, 2009

MARYSVILLE — Paul Williams was planning to kill Shirley Freeman even as he watched television with her the night before her June 2 slaying, prosecutors wrote in court documents.

Williams, 33, allegedly used the ruse that he’d left his wallet behind to get into Freeman’s Marysville home the next day. Once inside, Williams punched Freeman, 73, in the face, knocking her to the ground, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson wrote.

The Arlington man is accused of stabbing Freeman multiple times before he slashed her throat, according to court documents.

Investigators believe the attack was planned after Williams became upset about an argument Freeman and his mother had about barking dogs the previous day.

Williams was charged Friday with first-degree murder with a deadly weapon.

He is being held on $1 million bail. Williams doesn’t have any felony convictions.

Freeman lived next door to Williams’ parents. The day before her death the police were called after Freeman and Williams’ mother got into a dispute about barking dogs, Matheson wrote.

The officer talked to both women and told them to work things out. Williams was there during the argument but wasn’t involved in the discussions with his mother and Freeman, according to court documents. His mother told investigators she told her son the argument didn’t concern him and he should stay out of it, Matheson wrote.

Williams told police he had thoughts of killing Freeman for a couple of days, came up with a plan and acted on the plan, Matheson wrote.

Williams told detectives he went to Freeman’s home June 1 and watched television with her. He returned to his parents’ home the following morning, had coffee with his mother, took a knife from the kitchen and went to Freeman’s house and attacked her, Matheson wrote.

He drove to his apartment, cleaned up and returned to his parents’ home, where he told his mother that he’d killed her neighbor, according to court documents

Williams’ mother told investigators her son has mental health problems and takes several medications.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.