Man Arrested for Brutal Murders of Alabama Family
A man has been arrested following the tragic murders of an Alabama mother, her pregnant teenage daughter, and her 12-year-old son on April 20. Authorities found the victims bound in their home.
William Graham Oliver, 54, faces eight counts of capital murder, according to Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch. Oliver was booked into jail on Tuesday after his arrest.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on that fateful day, sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in Willmar, Alabama, where they discovered the three bodies. Each victim had their hands tied behind their back, and they were found in different rooms.
The victims included 46-year-old Lisa Gail Fields, who had been stabbed; 17-year-old Keziah Aliona Rooker, who was shot; and 12-year-old Thomas Cordell Jr., whose throat had been cut, nearly decapitating him.
Sheriff Burch described the crime scene as “brutal” and noted that the home was left in disarray.
Notably, Rooker’s 18-month-old child was discovered safe in the home, but her unborn baby, estimated to be seven or eight months along, did not survive.
The grim discovery was made when Rooker’s partner, working offshore, noticed her cellphone being active on the tracking app Life360 but couldn’t reach her. Concern grew, and a family member went to check, unfortunately finding the crime scene.
According to Sheriff Burch, Oliver had some familiarity with the family, saying he was “looking for something” in the house the night before the bodies were found.
Burch stated that they have strong circumstantial evidence and are confident in the investigation. However, while they have a clear understanding of what Oliver was allegedly after, they are withholding those details.
Initially, investigators thought that more than one person might have been involved in the murders, especially since the victims were restrained with zip ties and cuffs.
As of now, it’s unclear if there are additional suspects. Jail records indicate that Oliver had previous encounters with law enforcement, including a first-degree theft charge back in 2020, while other arrests date back even further.
The sheriff’s office has yet to respond to further inquiries regarding the case.
