Rock County to try Illinois man for dumping body
Photo 
Raymond Williams
JANESVILLE — A man acquitted of murder in Illinois is in the Rock County Jail, facing charges that he dumped the body in Riverside Park in Janesville.
Raymond C. Williams, 39, Rockford, Ill., was transported to Wisconsin on Wednesday after being extradited.
The Rock County criminal complaint states that Williams beat a man to death with a pipe and forced a woman to help him move the body from Rockford to Janesville.
The body of Travel D. Hester, 27, was found near a boat launch in Riverside Park on March 13, 2007. Rockford police arrested Williams two days later after a joint investigation with Janesville police.
Williams was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery for allegedly beating up the woman, his ex-girlfriend. He was acquitted earlier this year after a jury trial.
Williams faces Rock County charges of kidnapping and hiding a corpse.
The woman told investigators she was sleeping in bed with Hester when she awakened as she was being struck in the face. A savage beating of both Hester and the woman ensued, according to the Rock County criminal complaint.
Williams is accused of forcing the woman to clean up the residence where the beating took place, load the body into the trunk of a car and accompany Williams while he drove around, looking for a place to dump the body.
Williams looked in Rockford, but he eventually drove north to Beloit, where he also couldn’t find a place he liked, so he went to Janesville, where he visited several parks before settling on Riverside, the complaint states.
Williams faces up to 50 years in prison on the Rock County charges, plus nine extra years if convicted as a repeat felony offender.
related STORIES
Sep 8, 2009 at 12:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
jakee-this man will still end up where he should be- (prison)..Too bad it will more then likely be at another human beings expense.Losers like this do not change.
Sep 7, 2009 at 9:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
No one else commited this crime. The Illinios DA did not focus enough time or man power on this case. I really wish people would stop treating the ex-girlfriend like a victim. She was involved and told no one! She is just as much a murderer as this man. I know because I sat through this trial. My family was heartbroken by the loss of my brother in-law. He was the glue that held us together. Almost three years later and I still lose sleep. So never suggest that this man is not guilty. It was people like you (lsj64) that were not educated enough to see the facts when put in front of their face.
Jul 18, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
Wow........If he was accused and then acquitted then the jury did not believe he committed the crime, hence another person must have committed the murder. Also, the murder took place in IL, so WI could not charge him with the crime. I'll help you with the spelling of ACQUITTED. You read the story again. Geez.........
Jul 18, 2009 at 10:52 a.m.
Suggest removal
Real simple. Bob kills someone and Steve dumps the body.
******
Steve could not and should not be convicted of the murder as Bob was the murderer. Steve just dumped the body.
*****
Get it now? Geez..........
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.