A woman dies from a Molotov cocktail In the early morning hours of November 22, 1991, a quiet apartment in Bremerton, Washington, became the scene of a fiery attack that would claim the life of 35-year-old Barbara Williams. A female, Williams was visiting a friend, Josie Greer, at her apartment in the Viewcrest Villages. Also staying at the residence were another friend, Velda Elaine Moore, and her 9-year-old son, Jimmy. The night was shattered at approximately 3:20 a.m.
when multiple firebombs were thrown into the dwelling, one through the living room window and another into a bedroom where the young boy was sleeping. The ensuing blaze was intense, causing heavy damage to the apartment.
While Josie Greer and her son escaped the flames unharmed, Barbara Williams, Velda Elaine Moore, and Jimmy Moore were all caught in the inferno. Williams and the young boy suffered critical burns and were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Velda Moore sustained burns to her hands and arms and was listed in satisfactory condition. Tragically, Barbara Williams succumbed to her injuries and died at the hospital. The Bremerton police immediately classified the case as an arson and began investigating it as a potential homicide.
In the days that followed, a possible motive for the deadly firebombing emerged. Investigators began looking into a heated dispute over inheritance that had allegedly taken place just a day before the fire. Josie Greer's husband had recently passed away, and his children from a previous marriage were reportedly unhappy with the arrangements he had made for his new wife. This family quarrel was a significant lead for the police. Despite this promising lead, the investigation was hampered by a lack of physical evidence, a consequence of the destructive fire itself.
The case of Barbara Williams's death was one of several homicides that year in Bremerton, a city that was experiencing a rise in violent crime. Despite the police's efforts, the firebombing that killed Barbara Williams remained a mystery. As of early 1992, no arrests had been made, and the police had few other clues to follow. The perpetrators of the act, who had intended to kill the occupants of the apartment by targeting both the front and back of the residence, were never publicly identified, leaving the violent and tragic death of Barbara Williams an unsolved crime.
