KINGSVILLE, Texas — One of the two people accused of murdering a New Hampshire couple and burying their bodies in a shallow grave on Padre Island has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
Adam Williams will plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison with no option for parole. In return, prosecutors will agree not to seek the death penalty.
"And that's a good deal?" reporter Michael Gibson asked Williams' attorney, Paul Jimenez.
"It's better than death by lethal injection," Jimenez said.
Williams was the first to arrive to the Kleberg County Courthouse. There were armed officers everywhere. This was done to ensure that the two defendants got into the courthouse safely. Chief Deputy Jaime Garza with the Kleberg County Sheriff's Department said safety was his top priority.
'In any type of high profile case we make sure everybody's gonna be safe and officer's in leu of let's say we're not gonna be caught off guard," Garza said.
Williams and his girlfriend Amanda Noverr are accused of murdering James and Michelle Butler. The Butlers' bodies were found in October 2019. Williams and Noverr were later arrested in Mexico while in possession of the Butlers' pickup truck and trailer.
After several hours of negotiations between the defendants attorneys and the district attorney, Noverr was the first to be led out of the courthouse. She is set to be back for a status hearing on Nov. 9.
Wednesday's plea deal only involved Williams. According to court records Noverr has by Dec. 14. to work out a plea deal or go to trial.
"That's a separate case and somebody else is representing her," Jimenez said.
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