In a somber yet significant turn of events out of Washtenaw County, 77-year-old Isiah Williams has been handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder of his infant daughter, Olisa Williams, who vanished in 1982. This sentence was handed down after a jury found Williams guilty of first-degree murder, which includes premeditation and felony murder. According to a news release by the Michigan Attorney General's office, this cold case is among the oldest, if not the oldest, the Department has ever resolved.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated, "Our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in my office perform incredible work in pursuit of long-awaited resolutions for cold case victims." The conviction, she suggested, was a testament to the department's unwavering commitment to solving deeply entrenched cases. Olisa's mother, Denise Frazier-Daniel, during the sentencing hearing, delivered a statement that pierced the courtroom's heavy air, according to CBS News Detroit. She conveyed her enduring love for Olisa and her torment over the inability to lay her daughter to rest due to Williams' sustained silence.
The tragic case unfurled when Williams, following a confrontation with Frazier-Daniel, took their daughter from Ohio to Michigan. This would be the last time Olisa was seen in Williams' custody. Despite extensive efforts, Olisa's whereabouts remained a mystery, ultimately leading to the presumption of her death. It was not until early 2021, nearly four decades later, that the Ann Arbor police sought a review of the cold case by the Attorney General’s office, culminating in an open murder charge in October of the same year.
The case's resolution received support through Grant No. WE AX 0030, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, as noted in the Michigan AG's press release.
