Gulfport woman’s son arrested in her stabbing death, coroner says
Gulfport police have arrested a man for allegedly stabbing his mother to death Wednesday evening.
Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer said police responded to the 2300 block of 32nd Avenue around 6 p.m., and found Myra Williams, 68, dead of apparent knife wounds.
An autopsy will be performed Friday.
Durel Louis Williams, 28, was at the scene and arrested without incident. He is held on a first-degree murder charge at the Harrison County jail and his bond was set at $1 million.
The suspect has a history of mental illness, including paranoid schizophrenia and split personality disorder dating back to 2012.
“My mother did what she could,” said his older sister Dantrelle Williams.
Dantrelle Williams said that Myra was able to get Durel help at Tulane University, but they were unable to afford the treatment after some time.
“When you have money, you get more attention,” she said. “My mother was running dry trying to get him to therapy.”
Once the family was unable to afford treatment in New Orleans, they turned to the state of Mississippi with no luck.
“My mother is gone today because there was no help,” she said. “There’s programs for people with higher income, not lower income. When you come to a person who doesn’t have anything and is seeking assistance, there is nothing for them to receive.”
Despite the unspeakable tragedy that happened to her family, Dantrelle isn’t mad at her brother.
“Some people say I should be hating my brother. No I feel sorry for my brother, because he has no idea what he has done to himself and his mother.”
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 10:23 AM.