On the afternoon of January 25, 2022, Demonte Nettles Williams, a 29-year-old Black male, was fatally shot in the parking lot of a motel in the 8700 block of South Hosmer Street in Tacoma, Washington. The incident occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. Williams, a father of five, had exited a motel room and approached a Lincoln Town Car. An altercation ensued between Williams and the driver of the vehicle.
Surveillance footage showed Williams striking the driver before a single gunshot was fired, hitting Williams in the chest. He staggered backward and collapsed in the parking lot as the Lincoln Town Car fled the scene. First responders arrived shortly after and attempted life-saving measures, but Williams was pronounced dead at the location.
Investigators quickly identified a suspect thanks to a witness who provided the license plate number of the Lincoln Town Car. The vehicle was traced to 44-year-old Damar McCall, a man with a felony background. Cellphone data also placed McCall in the vicinity of the motel at the time of the shooting. He was arrested in Lakewood and booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. During questioning, McCall denied his involvement, claiming his car had been stolen two weeks prior and that he was stuck in traffic in Fircrest at the time of the incident.
Damar McCall was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He pleaded not guilty, and his bail was set at $1 million. However, in April 2023, the murder charges against McCall were dismissed. The Pierce County Prosecutor's office stated they could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, which means they could be refiled in the future if new evidence emerges. As of now, no one is in custody for the death of Demonte Nettles Williams.
