Keith Daniel Williams

Keith Daniel Williams (June 6, 1947 – May 3, 1996) was an American triple murderer who was executed by the state of California for the October 1978 murders of three people in Merced, California. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1979 and was subsequently executed in 1996 at San Quentin State Prison by lethal injection.

Early life Keith Daniel Williams was born on June 6, 1947, in Pittsburg, California. He was born prematurely to a single mother who drank during her pregnancy and miscarried his twin brother. As a child, he was described as sickly and had trouble sleeping, eating, and holding down food. Williams' mother married another man in 1948, who treated Williams poorly. His mother would later testify that the family dog was treated better than he was. The family moved frequently and lived in houses, motels, tents, and even a converted chicken coop.

Murders In September 1978, Williams met 26-year-old Robert Leslie Tyson while working on a remodeling job. The two men worked odd jobs and committed several offenses together, including stealing from their employer. Amongst the stolen items was a gun, which Williams kept for himself. On September 30, Williams, accompanied by his ex-wife and a cousin of hers, Tyson and Tyson's wife, drove to Modesto. On the way, the car broke down, and the five were stranded. Nearby was a camper, which Williams and Tyson decided to rob. The two of them ordered the couple out of the vehicle at gunpoint, stole the vehicle, and drove off, with Williams firing off several rounds over their heads into the air. They pawned some of the stolen goods but kept several items back for a yard sale organized by Tyson's wife.

On October 6, 31-year-old Miguel Vargas, accompanied by his girlfriend, 25-year-old Lourdes Meza, met Williams and Tyson at the yard sale. Williams expressed interest in purchasing Vargas' car, a 1973 Plymouth Road Runner. Vargas said he would sell the car to Williams for $1,500. On October 7, Williams agreed to the deal and handed Vargas a check for $1,500. Vargas said he would not turn over the pink slip for the vehicle until the check cleared the bank. The check, however, had been stolen from the camper, and Williams knew it would not clear. He had also noticed Vargas carried around with him cash which Williams wanted for himself. He came up with a plan to rob and kill Vargas and take his property, speaking of how easy it would be to carry out the crime. Five days later, Tyson surrendered to the police and gave himself up. He then led police to Meza's naked body, which was still located in the field where Williams had shot her to death. She had been raped and shot four times, although Williams would later claim the sex was consensual.

On December 22, 1978, Williams was charged with three counts of murder. On January 2, 1979, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His last meal consisted of fried pork chops, a baked potato with butter, asparagus, salad with blue cheese dressing, apple pie, and whole milk. He spent his final day with his attorneys and a spiritual advisor.

Some of the family members of the victims supported the execution, while others opposed it. Macias's daughter opposed the execution.