A Florida jury has recommended death for Jermaine Mandell Williams Sr., finding the 54-year-old should be executed for murdering his wife in a frenzied knife attack witnessed by their teenage son and stopped only when his own father held him at gunpoint.
Williams was convicted of first-degree murder on July 17 in the Aug. 2, 2024, killing of his wife, 50-year-old Yolonda Williams, according to court records from Flagler County. The jury deliberated less than two hours before voting 11-1 on Wednesday to recommend execution.
Background
Prosecutors said Jermaine Williams and Yolonda Williams had been fighting for weeks leading up to the killing. According to a probable cause affidavit, Williams had been sleeping in his truck parked in their driveway because of marital troubles.
On the morning of Aug. 2, 2024, Williams went inside hoping to reconcile before his wife left for work, according to investigators. She rejected him. During the argument outside their home on South Pine Street shortly after 8 a.m., Yolonda made what would become a pivotal statement: "Poor Jermaine, do you want me to play you a violin?"
Williams told detectives that comment pushed him over the edge and made him feel like he had nothing else to live for, according to the affidavit. He said he then entered the home and retrieved an 8-inch chef's knife from a kitchen drawer.
Video captured Williams briefly walking back inside before returning with the weapon. He chased Yolonda into the street where he stabbed her repeatedly while their 14-year-old son watched in horror and attempted to help, according to prosecutors.
"I'm tired of this s—," Williams declared as he paused during the attack after neighbors yelled for him to stop, the affidavit stated.
The Investigation
Witnesses described hearing Yolonda scream for help as neighbors rushed toward the scene. One told investigators he saw Williams stab his wife multiple times before the intervention.
The attack was largely captured by nearby surveillance cameras, providing critical evidence for prosecutors.
"She grabbed the blade as she tried to fight back and survive," State Attorney R.J. Larizza's office said of Yolonda Williams' desperate defense. Medical evidence later confirmed she suffered 19 to 20 stab wounds.
The assault only ended when Jermaine Williams' father, who lived nearby, happened upon the scene and drew a firearm on his own son, ordering him to stop attacking the victim. Officers arrived moments later and took Williams into custody as Yolonda's father held her attacker at gunpoint.
"He yelled out to him to stop or he was going to shoot him," investigators reported of Jermaine Williams' father's actions.
Emergency medical personnel transported Yolonda Williams to AdventHealth Palm Coast, where she was pronounced dead. After first responders arrived, she repeatedly said "I can't breathe" and told a paramedic she believed she was going to die, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Jermaine Williams admitted retrieving the knife from the kitchen before attacking his wife. He initially stated he had "blacked out" but acknowledged she wouldn't have any other injuries other than stab wounds.
"One step closer to making justice a reality for Yolonda Williams, her family and the citizens of the 7th Circuit," State Attorney Larizza said after the death penalty recommendation was announced. "We will continue our pursuit of the death penalty in this case and our support for the victim's family."
Key Takeaways
- Jermaine Mandell Williams Sr., 54, was convicted of first-degree murder for killing his wife Yolonda on Aug. 2, 2024
- The Flagler County jury voted 11-1 to recommend death after deliberating less than two hours
- Williams stabbed his wife 19 to 20 times with an 8-inch chef's knife in front of their 14-year-old son
- He allegedly attacked her after she rejected reconciliation and taunted him about playing the violin
- The attack was stopped when Williams' own father held him at gunpoint outside the couple's home
What's Next
The jury's recommendation is not the final sentence. Under Florida law, Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols must give the recommendation great weight but is not required to follow it. She will decide whether Williams receives a death sentence or life in prison without parole following an Aug. 3 Spencer hearing.
Prosecutors have indicated they will continue pursuing the death penalty.