In the winter of 2020, the life of 55-year-old Sylvia Williams was tragically cut short in her Hammond, Indiana, mobile home. A relative discovered her on a Wednesday, the victim of multiple gunshot wounds. Her death was officially ruled a homicide. This violent end came just months after she had survived a previous attempt on her life.
The sole suspect in her murder was her 56-year-old ex-boyfriend, Charles Goforth. The history between Williams and Goforth was fraught with violence.
In November of the previous year, Goforth had been arrested and charged with attempted murder for shooting Williams. That earlier attack, which was captured on surveillance video, left her with gunshot wounds to her stomach and leg. Despite the gravity of the charges, Goforth was released after posting a bond of nearly $8,000 and was permitted to return to his home in Independence, Missouri.
Following his release, prosecutors say Goforth made numerous calls to Williams in an attempt to 'smooth things over,' seemingly to avoid imprisonment on the attempted murder charge. However, his intentions proved to be far more sinister. Investigators utilized cellphone records and license plate reader data to track Goforth's journey from Missouri back to Williams's mobile home in the Sheffield Estates park.
On the day of the murder, Goforth returned to the very place where he had previously tried to kill her and this time, was successful. He was apprehended the following day in Missouri. Goforth was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and extradited back to Indiana to face the legal consequences of his actions. He was ordered to be held without bond in the Lake County Jail. The case drew criticism from local officials, including Hammond's mayor, who expressed frustration that the judicial system had allowed a violent offender back on the streets with tragic consequences.
