In the early morning hours of July 3, 2015, a heated argument in the parking lot of the Highland Lakes Apartments in Norcross, Georgia, ended in the tragic death of 29-year-old Lynett Karim. A 911 call reported a man and a woman fighting, a dispute that escalated to the sound of gunshots. When Gwinnett County police arrived at the scene, they discovered Karim inside her SUV, which had crashed into a tree. She had been fatally shot.
Living in the same apartment complex, though in different buildings, were Lynett Karim and Rickey Williams, a 36-year-old married man. Witnesses later testified that the two were engaged in an affair. The argument on that fateful morning was between Karim, who was inside her vehicle, and Williams, who stood outside. The confrontation turned violent as Williams repeatedly punched Karim through the open driver's side window.
As the altercation intensified, Williams made a call to his wife, asking her to bring him her gun. A video presented in court captured Williams asking for 'the 'thing',' a reference to his wife's firearm. After his wife brought the weapon to the scene, Williams used it to shoot Karim. His wife was not charged, as it was suggested that Williams may have led her to believe he was in danger. Following the shooting, Williams remained at the scene and, when approached by an officer, admitted to being the shooter, claiming it was in self-defense.
Rickey Williams was arrested and subsequently charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. In May 2017, following a three-day trial, a jury found him guilty on both counts. He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Lynett Karim. Williams later appealed his conviction, arguing that the jury should have been instructed on mutual combat and that he had ineffective legal counsel. However, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the conviction in June 2020.
