Oct 8, 2008 - 8:59 PM
0 shoutsDENVER (Ticker) -- A grand jury has indicted a suspect in the murder of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams.
District Attorney Mitch Morrissey announced Wednesday that Willie Clark, 25, faces 39 counts - including two counts of first-degree murder - during a news conference at the Denver Police Administration building.
Williams was fatally shot on January 1, 2007 in a drive-by as he left a Denver nightclub in a stretch limousine. He was 24.
"An investigation shows that Willie Clark was present in the SUV that was used in the shooting," Morrissey said. "We intend to get him out of federal custody as soon as we can. ... He is charged as a principle in the murder of Darrent Williams."
He did not say Clark was the shooter, but instead repeatedly said he is charged in "principle."
Morrissey said there were multiple people in the SUV and there could be more charges in the future.
"This is not the end of the investigation," he said. "Willie Clark was in the SUV; numerous people were in the SUV," Morrissey said. "Obviously, there was more than one shooter."
An 18-page indictment detailed the events of that fateful night. The shooting took place after an argument between friends of Williams and another group of men outside the Shelter nightclub.
"Something that wasn't even a good fist fight, but because weapons were involved it turned into a shooting. ? It's senseless," Morrissey said.
The altercation began at Safari nightclub and spilled over to Shelter after the club closed at 1:30 a.m. local time. After a pair of scuffles at Safari, Clark asked a friend for a "heater," according to the indictment.
At that time, witnesses claimed Clark left in a white SUV believed to be either a Chevy Tahoe or a Blazer. Williams and his entourage left at 2 a.m. and, according to one passenger, were followed by what he thought was the suspicious SUV.
At approximately 2:15, the SUV fired at least 15 gunshots into the limo. Williams was struck in the left side of his neck, killing him almost instantly.
A young man and woman who were riding in the limo also were injured. Two weapons - a .45-caliber handgun and a .40-caliber gun - were used, according to the indictment.
One of the people in the limo was Williams' former teammate and current Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker, who has not been the same since the incident. Williams reportedly died in Walker's arms.
Clark was arrested for a probation violation four days after Williams was murdered.
This past summer, Clark wrote a letter to the Denver Police detectives in which he admitted to the killing of Williams, according to the indictment.
The indictment also said the SUV used in the drive-by shooting belonged to Brian Kenneth Hicks. Police said Hicks is the leader of the Elite Eight, a sect of the Denver Tre Tre Crips gang.
Hicks was in custody on an unrelated case in the Denver County Jail at the time of the shooting, the Denver Post reported.
The tragedy brought an end to a promising career for Williams, a second-round draft pick in 2005 who recorded 86 tackles and four interceptions in 2006.
