Kenneth Williams: The Serial Killer Who Escaped Justice

Overview

Kenneth Dewayne Williams (February 23, 1979 – April 27, 2017) was a chilling figure in American true crime history, a serial killer whose life spiraled into a nightmare of violence that spanned across Arkansas and Missouri. Initially sentenced to life without parole for the brutal murder of a University of Arkansas pre-med student and cheerleader in 1998, Williams executed a daring escape from prison in 1999. His flight from justice led to more bloodshed, including the death of a man during a high-speed police chase. Ultimately, he was convicted of multiple murders and became the last of four inmates executed in Arkansas in April 2017.

Quick Facts

• Born: February 23, 1979, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
• Died: April 28, 2017, Cummins Unit, Lincoln County, Arkansas, U.S.
• Cause of Death: Execution by lethal injection
• Convictions: Capital murder (3 counts), Attempted capital murder, Aggravated robbery (3 counts), Kidnapping (2 counts), Theft of property (4 counts), First-degree escape, Second-degree battery
• Criminal Penalty: Death (August 30, 2000)
• Victims: 4 (including one killed unintentionally during a high-speed chase)
• Span of Crimes: 1998–1999
• States Involved: Arkansas, Missouri

Early Life

Williams’ upbringing was a perfect storm for tragedy. Born to parents with learning disabilities, his mother struggled with drug addiction and continued to smoke while pregnant. His father was abusive, often subjecting Williams and his siblings to violence. In a particularly harrowing incident, Williams’ father kidnapped his mother, holding her at gunpoint for days.

With little supervision, Williams turned to substance abuse early, smoking marijuana at just six years old and joining the Gangster Disciples by the age of nine. His turbulent childhood saw him moving between foster homes and juvenile reform schools.

At eight, Williams was sexually molested, a traumatic experience that sparked a dark transformation within him. He later confessed to having raped other children, driven by a need to reclaim power and control. “I grew bitter and angry; I was guilt-ridden, too ashamed to speak out," he revealed. This cycle of victimization and aggression would shape his future crimes. By his pre-teen years, he recognized the futility of his actions and stopped.

In 1996, Williams was sentenced to five years for first-degree escape and second-degree battery, but was released on April 2, 1998.

Initial Murders and Incarceration

Just months after his release, on December 13, 1998, Williams committed a heinous crime that would catapult him into infamy. He abducted 19-year-old Dominique "Nikki" Hurd, a pre-med student, and her boyfriend, Peter Robertson, from a parking lot in Pine Bluff. After offering to take their photo, he brandished a revolver, forcing them into their car and robbing them of cash, jewelry, and credit cards.

As he directed Robertson to several dead-end streets, Williams repeatedly assured the couple he wouldn’t harm them—an ominous lie. At one dead-end, he forced them out of the car and humiliated Hurd by making her pose for a degrading photo. He then had them kneel behind a shed before he shot them, stating, "I don’t like the niggers from Dallas anyway," before emptying his revolver into them. Hurd tragically succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head, while Robertson survived to alert authorities.

On December 18, 1998, Williams faced serious charges: one count of capital murder, one count of attempted capital murder, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of theft of property, and one count of arson. Despite the heinous nature of his crimes, he received a life sentence instead of death, which he cruelly taunted Hurd's family about, saying, "You thought I was going to die, didn't you?" He was sent to the Cummins Unit to serve his sentence.

Prison Escape, Additional Killings, and Execution

Williams’ story took an audacious turn on October 3, 1999, when he executed a daring escape from the Cummins Unit. Hiding inside a 500-gallon barrel of pig slop, he was whisked out of the prison by a waste truck. Once free, he made his way to the home of 57-year-old Cecil Boren, a farmer and retired prison warden. In a brutal act, he shot Boren in the chest and then fired six more shots, including one to the head, after Boren attempted to flee. He robbed Boren of cash, jewelry, and firearms, even donning some of Boren’s clothing before stealing his truck.

The following day, Williams was spotted in Lebanon, Missouri, leading to a high-speed chase that reached 120 miles per hour. The pursuit ended tragically when he collided with the vehicle of 24-year-old Michael Greenwood, a Culligan water delivery driver, killing him instantly. Williams fled on foot but was apprehended shortly afterward, showing a complete lack of remorse by reportedly spitting on Greenwood's lifeless body.

Though he was not prosecuted for Greenwood's death, he was charged with the murder of Boren. On August 29, 2000, Williams was convicted of theft of property and capital murder, resulting in a death sentence the next day.

In a shocking twist, Williams later penned a letter to the Pine Bluff Commercial in May 2005, expressing remorse for his actions and claiming he had found God. He confessed to the murder of Jerrell Jenkins, a man he had robbed and shot on the same day he killed Hurd. Jenkins’ body was discovered in a ditch by a child on his way to school. Williams pleaded guilty to capital murder for this crime as well, receiving another life sentence.

While on death row, Williams was ordained as a minister and, twenty days before his execution, he published a reflective article expressing remorse for his past actions. He grappled with his impending death, acknowledging that his disregard for human life had led him to this fate.

On April 27, 2017, Williams was executed by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit, becoming the last of four inmates executed in Arkansas that year. His final meal consisted of fried chicken, sweet rice, BBQ pinto beans, a slice of bread, a peanut butter cookie, and a cinnamon roll.

In his last words, read from a written statement, Williams extended his apologies to the families of his victims, expressing a profound sense of regret. He stated, "I humbly extend my sincerest of apologies to the families I senselessly wronged and deprived of their loved ones."

The execution was notable for the emotional complexity surrounding it. Kayla Greenwood, the daughter of Michael Greenwood, even purchased plane tickets for Williams’ estranged daughter and granddaughter to visit him one last time, stating she had forgiven him and did not want him to die. However, the families of Boren and Hurd sought justice, feeling relieved that Williams could no longer harm anyone else.

Governor Asa Hutchinson defended the executions, asserting that he had made the right decision to see justice served. Williams' case was later featured in a BBC Three episode of Life and Death Row, highlighting the deeply layered narratives of crime, punishment, and redemption.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Kenneth Williams (serial killer)
• Various news articles and reports on the case detailing the events and public reactions surrounding Williams’ crimes and execution.