A man and a woman were arguing outside a Lake Highlands apartment complex last week just before someone nearby heard “several” gunshots, according to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Dallas police officers responded about 7:10 a.m. Wednesday to a “disturbance armed encounter” call at a home in the 9500 block of Royal Lane, near Abrams Road. When they arrived, police found 47-year-old Unetria Williams shot dead inside, police said last week.
Demarcus Gates, 40, is facing a murder charge in connection to her death. It was not clear Monday whether he had an attorney.
A witness told police they saw Williams and Gates, both “armed with guns,” arguing near a silver Chevrolet Camaro, an officer wrote in the affidavit. The witness heard “several” gunshots shortly after calling 911, the affidavit said.
Gates’ girlfriend told police she came to the location after she received a call from Williams and could hear Williams and Gates arguing, according to the affidavit.
The girlfriend called Gates and convinced him to exit the apartment. Police arrested him once he came out, according to the affidavit.
As they searched the apartment, police found a woman in a blue dress — later identified as Williams — with multiple gunshot wounds in a bedroom, according to the affidavit. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The witness told police he saw Gates with a gun after honking his vehicle’s horn at the Camaro, which was blocking the witness’s way to work. Gates then exited the apartment and “made a statement regarding killing a female,” according to the affidavit. The witness said a woman wearing a blue dress walked from the side of the apartment building with a gun, according to the affidavit.
The witness told police he fled to contact authorities and later heard “three or four” gunshots, according to the affidavit.
Gates was taken in by police for questioning and spoke to a detective after waiving his Miranda rights, according to the affidavit. He told police that he could not remember what happened and, at one point, said Williams was suicidal.
“Once presented with the face that she was shot multiple times, [Gates] made a statement that [Williams] could have shot him,” an officer wrote in the affidavit. “When asked if [Williams] did so the suspect again stated he could not remember.”
Gates remained in Dallas County custody on a $500,000 bond Monday afternoon, records show.
