A Platte County grand jury has returned murder indictments on Jimmy Williams, Brenda Williams and James Detmer, bringing to five the number of people currently facing murder charges in the county.
“That’s too many–we don’t need that,” Platte County Prosecutor Tammy Glick said last week.
The indictment on Jimmy Williams accuses him of murder in the first degree and armed criminal action in connection with events that occurred on Dec. 12 resulting in the death of his former son-in-law, Thadd Mize. Mize was shot while in his vehicle after he had dropped off his children in a pre-arranged custody arrangement.
The indictment on Brenda Williams alleges murder in the second degree in connection with the same case. Jimmy Williams is being held in the Platte County Jail on a $500,000 cash only bond. Brenda Williams is being held in the Platte County Jail on a $300,000 cash-only bond, along with an additional $500,000 bond in connection with a probation violation out of Johnson County, Kan.
At this time, no additional court dates have been set.
The indictment on James Detmer accuses him of murder in the second degree and armed criminal action in connection with the death of his father, Wilber Detmer, in January of 2001. Authorities have said they believe James Detmer used a claw hammer to kill his father at his residence near Parkville.
He was recently taken into custody in Houston, Tex. on credit card abuse and theft charges.
“He was not willing to waive extradition from Texas and we have had to request a governor’s warrant (in an attempt) to get him up here,” Glick remarked.
Detmer’s cash-only bond has been set at $500,000, Glick said. He is currently awaiting extradition from Harris County, Tex.
A fourth person facing murder charges in the county is Cornelle D. Williams, who is accused of killing a Parkville area man in the robbery of a set of wheels last February. Williams had a March 4 court appearance scheduled but Glick said that has since been pushed back with no new date yet announced.
The fifth homicide case active in Platte County involves second degree murder charges against Jason Hendrix, a volunteer firefighter for the Edgerton-Trimble Fire Department (see related story). Hendrix is accused of starting a blaze that resulted in the death of Travis Brown of the Dearborn Fire Department, who was killed when the pumper truck in which he was riding overturned while responding to the arson fire.
A trial date for Hendrix has been set for June 24.

