Oxygen is re-airing the Snapped investigation into the murder of Steven Williams, who was abducted from his home in Center Grove, Indiana, and stabbed to death under a bridge in Indianapolis.
The abduction and murder were committed by Rickey King and Charles Lehman, but the duo were performing the dirty work of Steven’s wife, Opal Williams, the mastermind behind the killing.
Steven and Opal had been married since 2007, but their relationship was continually in trouble. The pair had separated and reconciled on multiple occasions. The couple had even called off a court appearance for a divorce the day before Steven’s murder.
In the meantime, Opal had reconnected with her past boyfriend, Rickey King. At some point, Opal began planning her husband’s murder and enlisted her cousin Lehman and boyfriend King as the hitmen. The cops said Opal was angry because of alleged infidelity by Steven.
On March 14, 2015, Lehman went to Steven’s house and lured him out by telling him Opal had tripped and hurt herself. Once Steven stepped into the front yard, Lehman bundled him into Steven’s van, and they drove off with King.
King and Lehman took Steven to a spot under a secluded bridge in Indianapolis and stabbed him in the chest. Steven was severely injured but still alive.
Opal Williams directed Lehman and King to murder Steven Williams
The killers then telephoned Opal and had Steven beg her for his life. Opal told the killers to “do it.”
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelKing and Lehman slashed Steven’s throat, rolled the body up in a carpet, and flung the remains into the White River.
Opal then reported her husband as missing to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The Indianapolis cops recovered Steven’s van near the bridge where he was killed. They found blood in the van and began searching the area. They soon recovered the remains of 52-year-old Steven.
Opal Williams, Rickey King, and Charles Lehman convicted of killing Steven Williams
In an interview with detectives a few days later, Opal Williams confessed to arranging the murder with King and Lehman. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years.
King and Lehman also pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy to murder and were sentenced to 45 and 50 years, respectively.
After the three convictions, Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said, “It is difficult to understand how not one of these three individuals acted to stop the plan in motion and prevented Steven Williams being lured to his death. We hope that the admission of guilt by the defendants provides some measure of justice due to the other family members and friends of Mr. Williams.”
This episode of Snapped re-airs Tuesday at 6/5c on Oxygen.