Who is Brian Williams? Indiana man, 36, decapitates woman and sets fire to her house
Warning: Graphic content
CLARKSVILLE, INDIANA: A man has been arrested in Clarksville, Indiana, for killing and decapitating a woman and later setting fire to her apartment, following a botched robbery attempt. Brian Williams, 36, reportedly murdered and dismembered 67-year-old Melody Gambetty and then put her body parts inside a suitcase. The horrific crime was discovered after another resident in Gambetty's building called 911 to report smoke coming out from her apartment. Firefighters later found her mutilated body when they entered the apartment.
During a press briefing, Clarksville Police Major Joel DeMoss said, "Yesterday’s crime scene, in my 23 years, is probably one of the most horrific we’ve been involved in." Police zeroed in on Williams as the primary suspect after obtaining surveillance footage of the area and canvassing the neighborhood. DeMoss further emphasized that the police found "all pertinent evidence" at his residence to charge him with the homicide.
READ MORE
Missing Indiana mother's remains found in woods 13 months after boyfriend killed her for denying sex
Who is Brian Williams?
Brian Montez Williams, who is 36-year-old, was reportedly going door-to-door in the Clarksville neighborhood on Monday, July 26, 2021. He interacted with several residents under the pretext of drumming up "community service work". Witnesses later described him as suspicious but polite.
Don Miller, Gambetty's longtime landlord and neighbor, told wdrb that Williams approached him for work on July 26. "Well, the suspect came to my door looking for work as a community service. He had told other people that he had got out of jail and was doing this community service and looking for work," Miller said. "That young man looked super to me — like a young kid just out of high school or college, and he sure surprised me," he added. Another neighbor said he hired Williams to mow his lawn on July 26 and recalled a "million dollar smile" from Williams.
The surveillance footage shows him entering Gambetty's apartment at around 1 pm on July 26. She previously worked at the media outlet 'The News and Tribune' and retired in March this year. Williams was found leaving her home with two suitcases just before 4 pm on July 26 and later loading the suitcases into Gambetty's car. When Gambetty's body was found, she was decapitated and her fingers and toes were missing. Her body was also found stuffed inside a suitcase. Meanwhile, after searching Williams' apartment, police found two of Gambetty's suitcases with human remains, her personal use items and a small saw with human tissue and blood on the blade.
Police first considered Williams as a suspect after a local resident was able to provide the name 'Brian W' and a phone number of the man suspiciously soliciting community service work on the day of the murder. As police called the number, the suspect identified himself as Brian Williams and gave the detectives his address for questioning about an arson. Later, police confirmed his identity with the surveillance footage and also found matching evidence at his home.
He is currently in custody and charged with murder and arson. Speaking about the incident, DeMoss said, "We believe this was probably a botched robbery or home invasion and that it just went bad. I think this was just an opportunity that went bad. That went real bad. And it’s one of those things I’ll probably never see in my career again. And I hope none of my detectives see in their careers again.”