BUNNELL, Fla. – A Flagler County jury on Wednesday recommended the death penalty for Jermaine Mandell Williams Sr. for the Aug. 2, 2024, stabbing death of his wife, the State Attorney’s Office said.
RELATED: Bunnell man accused of stabbing wife to death said one comment pushed him over the edge: police
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After a two-day sentencing hearing, the jury voted 11-1 in favor of the death penalty.
After a two-day trial, the 12-member jury — 10 women and two men — deliberated about 20 minutes before finding Williams guilty, according to a July 17 press release from the Office of the State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.
Surveillance video and testimony showed Williams went into his home, returned with an approximately eight-inch chef’s knife and attacked his wife, Yolonda Charmaine Williams, 50, in the street outside the couple’s Bunnell home, the office said.
She was stabbed about 19–20 times, taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries. A 14-year-old son witnessed the attack and tried to intervene, and the defendant’s father — who lives nearby — held Jermaine Williams at gunpoint until he stepped away from the victim, officials said.
Jermaine Williams told detectives he retrieved the knife from the kitchen and stabbed his wife multiple times, and that a comment she made “pushed him over the edge,” the prosecutor’s office said. Records show Jermaine Williams was on probation for charges stemming from a 2022 domestic violence incident involving his wife.
“One step closer to making justice a reality for Yolanda Williams, her family and the citizens of the 7th Circuit,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said after the recommendation was read. “We will continue our pursuit of the death penalty in this case and our support for the victim’s family.”
“Today’s proceedings are about far more than a criminal conviction and penalty. They are about Yolanda Williams, a beautiful life taken through an unimaginable act of violence. On behalf of every member of the Bunnell Police Department, I extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Williams’ family, friends and everyone who loved her,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon added. “This conviction reflects countless hours of dedicated work by the members of the Bunnell Police Department, alongside our partners at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney, whose professionalism, collaboration and commitment to justice ensured the defendant was held fully accountable under the law. While we cannot erase the pain caused by this senseless crime, we honor Yolanda Williams by protecting our community and standing with our victims.”
Although the jury makes this recommendation, the final sentencing decision will be up to The Honorable Dawn Nichols, who will pronounce sentence after another hearing at a later date.