Share
Sports

Son of 3-time Super Bowl champion Erik Williams arrested, facing death penalty

Share

The 20-year-old son of former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Erik Williams has been charged with capital murder in the deaths of two teenagers last week in Mesquite, Texas, TMZ Sports reported Tuesday.

Cassius Shakembe Williams was booked into the Dallas County Jail about 1:45 a.m. Sunday, according to the Dallas Morning News.

His alleged accomplice, Rozman Rah-saan Shannon Jr., 21, was booked around 9 a.m. Monday.

Police said they were being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Williams and Shannon each face two charges of capital murder in the June 12 shootings of Dalton James Prater, 18, and Jacob Bradley Hollett, 19.

Police believe Williams and Shannon met the teenagers under the pretense of buying marijuana from them and then pulled a gun and demanded they hand over the drugs. Shots were fired.

The Morning News reported Prater was found dead in the driver’s seat of a red Dodge pickup with multiple gunshot wounds.

Hollett was still alive when he was found nearby in a gray Nissan. The teenager was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

Williams and Shannon could face the death penalty if convicted.

Erik Williams was a key part of the great Cowboys teams in the 1990s, protecting Troy Aikman and opening holes for Emmitt Smith.

The 6-foo-6, 325-pound tackle won three championship rings (in 1993, 1994 and 1996) with Dallas.

Williams also was named to the Pro Bowl four times and the All-Pro team three times.

Erik Williams has had some legal problems of his own.

Related:
Clock Malfunction in Game's Final Seconds Nearly Changes Outcome of NFL Game

He was accused of sexual assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 1995, but she reached a civil settlement with him and asked that he not be prosecuted. A grand jury declined to indict him.

Williams and teammate Michael Irvin were accused of rape in 1997, but they were cleared when the woman admitted it was a hoax.

In 2003, Williams was charged with assault and harassment after a drunken argument with his wife, Chanda, allegedly became physical. Prosecutors agreed to drop the charges if he completed counseling.

Cassius Williams followed in his father’s footsteps in playing college football at Central State in Ohio. Unlike his father, the 6-foot-1, 290-pound Cassius was a defensive tackle.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , ,
Share
Todd Windsor is a senior story editor at The Western Journal. He has worked as an editor or reporter in news and sports for more than 30 years.
Todd Windsor is a senior story editor at The Western Journal. He was born in Baltimore and grew up in Maryland. He graduated from the University of Miami (he dreams of wearing the turnover chain) and has worked as an editor and reporter in news and sports for more than 30 years. Todd started at The Miami News (defunct) and went on to work at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., the St. Petersburg (now Tampa Bay) Times, The Baltimore Sun and Space News before joining Liftable Media in 2016. He and his beautiful wife have two amazing daughters and a very old Beagle.
Birthplace
Baltimore
Education
Bachelor of Science from the University of Miami
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Media, Sports




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation