For some time, tension had been building between Marc Anthony Williams, a 49-year-old Black man, and his next-door neighbor on Winston Street in Detroit, Michigan. According to Williams' daughter and other neighbors, the two men repeatedly argued over property and items related to Williams' pallet business, which he operated from a lot he owned. The neighbor, 33-year-old Chazmun Conley, was reportedly upset by items on the lot between their homes and by some of Williams’ belongings that sat
on the back of Conley’s property.
On the evening of Monday, April 15, 2019, the ongoing feud escalated into a deadly confrontation. Around 8:20 p.m., another argument broke out between the two men. During the dispute, Conley produced a handgun and shot Williams multiple times. Williams’ family later stated that he had been shot five times. He was found deceased outside a home on the street.
When authorities arrived, they arrested Chazmun Conley in connection with the shooting. Conley reportedly told police that he and Williams were arguing when Williams tried to assault him, prompting him to fire his weapon in self-defense. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and a felony firearms violation. At his arraignment, Conley’s defense attorney told the judge that there had been a struggle and that his client was defending himself on his own property. Williams’ family did not believe it was a case of self-defense.
The case against Chazmun Conley proceeded to trial. After hearing the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense, a jury found Conley not guilty of the charges in the fatal shooting.
Following the acquittal, no one has been convicted in the death of Marc Williams. The case is considered unsolved.
