A Caddo Parish jury deliberated a half hour before convicting Amanda Baily Williams of Bossier City Thursday, March 8, 2018, of second-degree murder for the February 2016 slaying of a man she had previously worked for as a sitter.
The seven-man, five-woman jury in District Judge Katherine Dorroh’s courtroom determined that Williams, with accomplice Cameron Lewis, broke into the Woolworth Road home of Bryan Savage while armed with a small-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a small-caliber rifle. Williams previously had been employed in the home as a sitter for an elderly individual.
Jury selection began Monday, March 5, 2018, with the presentation of evidence commencing the following day. Testimony by experts followed Wednesday and the trial concluded early Thursday, March 8, 2018, with Williams electing to not testify.
Jurors determined that Williams and Lewis ransacked the home and stole televisions, a cell phone, jewelry, currency and a work truck. When Savage confronted the burglars during the burglary, he was shot once in the chest.
Williams confessed that she and Lewis continued to search the home while Savage lay dying on the floor. A fire set to destroy evidence burned the residence and 20 percent of Savage’s body.
Williams and Lewis were captured on casino surveillance cameras driving the stolen truck and dividing the stolen goods an hour later.
Williams, 30, who had a prior 2006 conviction for simple burglary, confessed to committing the burglary but denied shooting Savage and burning the home. As each defendant stated the other was the killer, state law prohibited the two from being tried at the same time. But under the felony murder rule, each defendant is responsible for the death.
A unanimous jury found Cameron Lewis guilty of second-degree murder on January 10, 2018, and he was sentenced to life in prison on January 24, 2018.
Williams will return to face Judge Dorroh for formal sentencing March 14. The mandatory sentence under Louisiana law is life without benefit of probation, parole or reduction of sentence.
Prosecutors were Jason Waltman and Treneisha Hill. Williams was defended by Kammi Watley.