Authorities on Friday retrieved a collection of possible evidence in the Kaufman County district attorney murder case that a relative of suspect Eric Williams said was previously overlooked.
Williams' brother-in-law, Zach Bellemare, said the evidence came from Williams' Seagoville storage room and from Williams' Kaufman home after investigators searched both locations.
“All of our family members have an x-factor, and that is that there’s pieces missing,” Bellemare said. “I think there’s holes in things.”
Williams is accused of the 2013 shootings of Kaufman District Attorney Mike McLelland, his wife Cynthia and Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse.
The capital murder trial for Williams, a former justice of the peace, is due to begin Dec. 1, and jury selection is underway now.
McLelland and Hasse prosecuted Williams for burglary and theft in 2012, and the conviction ended Williams’ legal career. Retribution is the alleged motive for the murders.
Bellemare is married to Eric Williams’ sister. Bellemare said the items authorities seized Friday show that the murder investigation is flawed.
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In the trunk, Bellemare said he discovered a Kevlar helmet and black paintball-style face mask.
The suspect description immediately after the Hasse murder was a man dressed in dark, tactical style clothing. Bellemare said investigators left the items behind in the Seagoville storage room.
“If I was a law enforcement officer it would certainly be something I would be interested in,” Bellemare said.
FBI evidence receipts for items seized and still held from the storage room include some items that do not appear to be connected to the Kaufman murders, including a crossbow.
“Why would you take a bow and arrow and leave behind a black helmet and a black mask?” Bellemare asked.
Bellemare said he found a hand-written note with the title “Kim’s ‘Kick Ass’ list” in Williams’ home after it was searched by authorities in 2013 and before it was searched again in 2014.
The note, also among the items seized by investigators on Friday, appears to be a list of people against whom the writer had a grudge. The list ends with the words “kill him.” The people named appear to have been other adversaries in Eric Williams’ earlier criminal case, but none are publicly known to have been a victim of violence.
Bellemare said the list appears to have been penned by Kim Williams based on hand-writing samples relatives had seen from her over the years on greeting cards and other notes.
Kim Williams admitted being an accomplice in the three killings. She is also charged with capital murder, but no trial date has been set for her. She filed for divorce after the murder indictments last year and is believed to be cooperating with prosecutors.
“It could be that she had more involvement than he does, if at all,” Bellemare said. “If I was a police officer I would definitely want that piece of paper.”
Bellemare said he has repeatedly tried to contact Williams' defense team about what he feels was a botched investigation. He said Eric Williams’ relatives believe he is not receiving adequate defense.
“They have met with us, but it seems that when we have a concern or a question we would like addressed, somebody to contact us back, they won’t return our phone calls,” Bellemare said.
Lead defense attorney Matthew Seymour did not return a message from NBC 5 Thursday.
Lead special prosecutor Bill Wirskye said he would be happy to speak with Bellemare.
"We’re very confident in our searches and the investigation that was done,” Wirskye said.
The trial was moved from Kaufman County to a larger courthouse with a larger jury pool in neighboring Rockwall County.
Dallas State District Judge Mike Snipes, who was appointed to handle the trial, said 11 jurors had been seated as of Thursday. A total of 12 jurors and two alternates are needed.
