LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MAN WHO MURDERED PARTNER IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILD
04 July 2025
LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MAN WHO MURDERED PARTNER IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILD
Nxuba (formerly Cradock) – The Nxuba Regional Court has sentenced John Evan Williams (35) to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his partner, Patricia Williams (29), a farmworker who was fatally assaulted at Lombard Russ Farm near Cradock on 02 June 2024.
The incident occurred after the couple, accompanied by their eight-year-old daughter, visited a relative on the same farm. During the visit, they consumed homemade beer and later walked home. On the way, and without provocation, Williams began violently assaulting Patricia in full view of their child. The young girl, whose identity is protected, cried and pleaded with her father to stop the assault.
Two farm residents who witnessed the attack tried to intervene, but the accused dismissed them, insisting he could do as he pleased because Patricia was his partner. The assault involved fists, kicks, dragging, and manual strangulation. It continued at their home, where he left Patricia unconscious on the balcony. The daughter later testified, via closed-circuit television and with the aid of an intermediary, that her father struck her mother with a stick and a steel poker inside their home.
The next morning, the child found her mother unresponsive. Emergency services and police were called, and Patricia was declared dead at the scene. Williams was arrested three days later.
During the trial, Regional Court Prosecutor Makabongwe Seyibokwe presented compelling evidence from the two eyewitnesses, the eight-year-old daughter, and a forensic pathologist. The State emphasised the brutality of the attack, the victim’s vulnerability, and the emotional trauma inflicted on the child. In his defence, Williams claimed Patricia had fallen repeatedly due to intoxication. However, medical evidence confirmed the cause of death as blunt force trauma and manual strangulation, ruling out any possibility of accidental injuries.
Williams pleaded not guilty, offering a bare denial. The court rejected his version as false and not reasonably possible, accepting the State’s case. Finding no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, the court imposed life imprisonment.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Barry Madolo, welcomed the sentence, stating;
“This outcome sends a strong message that gender-based violence and femicide—especially when committed in the presence of children—will not go unpunished. The NPA commends the prosecution team for their dedication and the bravery of the witnesses, especially the child, in helping the court deliver justice.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, which reinforces that gender-based violence, particularly when witnessed by children, will not be tolerated.
Issued by:
Luxolo Tyali
Regional Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Division
National Prosecuting Authority
Tel: 047 501 2630
Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za