Murder on the high seas? That may be a decision facing a jury concerning the May of 2006 death of Steven B. Williams, a former radio disc jockey in Denver and Honolulu. On May 18, 2006, a cargo ship captain found Steven B. William's body floating in the water. The cause of death appeared to be a bullet wound to the head. .
Harvey Morrow, 60, will now be tried for murder for financial gain. Morrow has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors apparently contend that Morrow swindled over a million dollars from Williams, by having him invest in an offshore account. Morrow denies any financial wrong doing.
Harvey Morrow, 60, will now be tried for murder for financial gain. Morrow has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors apparently contend that Morrow swindled over a million dollars from Williams, by having him invest in an offshore account. Morrow denies any financial wrong doing.
Sgt. Ken Clark of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office took over when the missing person investigation turned into a homicide investigation.
Williams inherited a couple million dollars from his father. (Apparently, Williams was trustee of a trust for the benefit of himself and his sister.) Williams apparently met Morrow and the two planned to sail around the world. At some point, Williams ran out of money after allegedly getting involved with some investments through Morrow.
A week after Williams' body was found, Morrow's yacht was searched. William's cell phone records apparently show that Williams' cell phone was last used on May 4, 2006. He apparently received a call from Morrow's phone at 11:48 a.m. Williams phone was then used to call Morrow's phone at 1 p.m. Both cell phones were also used in the late afternoon. The calls apparently originated near the Catalina Island area.
A portable GPS discovered in 2007 is consistent with a trip originating at Los Angeles Harbor at 1:17 p.m. on May 4, 2006, and ending up at Catalina later that afternoon. No "murder weapon" was ever found. In 2006, Morrow was arrested. At the time, he was working as a used car salesman in Montana. His next role will be that of a defendant in a California murder trial.
Update 6-23-11: In May, trial began. On the second day of trial a mistrial was declared in order to allow the defense to examine newly discovered evidence.
Update 6-23-11: In May, trial began. On the second day of trial a mistrial was declared in order to allow the defense to examine newly discovered evidence.
Morrow, like any one, is to be presumed innocent of all allegations and charges unless otherwise proven in a court of law.
HOpe for this guys sake that it didn't go down as prosecutors allege.
ReplyDeleteyou got greed, violence, scheming... all you need now is a steamy love triangle and you got the makings of a great Hollywood plot.
ReplyDeleteThe money Williams inherited was also meant to provide support for his disabled sister. While Morrow has been getting three hots and a cot, the sister lost her home and car, and is struggling with day-to-day existence. There was more than one victim in this crime.
ReplyDeleteVery sad to hear about the sister.
ReplyDeleteTo correct the article, Steve did not inherit 'all' of that money from his father; he was designated Trustee of the Estate, shared with his sister. Half of the money is hers. Another anonymous poster mentions her financial destitution.
ReplyDeleteA consequence of the latter is the sister has no financial means to attend the murder trial! Information comes out in some of these news articles that she has never been told by Investigators or Prosecutors.
Thank you for the additional information concerning Williams sister. Any additional facts are always appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThe sister adds an emotional element to the trial. Not sure it helps the movie. Still need a love triangle angle to make it a blockbuster movie.
ReplyDeleteThe real life version is tragic and really sucks for all of the families, if the allegations are all true.
Curious that someone thinks that a 'steamy love triangle' is necessary to make a blockbuster plot. Life has no need to imitate fiction; that would be so limiting to the telling of the truth.
ReplyDeleteWhile a CSI/Law & Order/Case Files crime documentary may not be the model either the events need not be rated 'R' to be compelling. Consider that even now, 5 years into the public part of the story, no one knows how it will end.
Now there is drama, and I think the sister's point of view may be the way to tell it.
No doubt the sister's a true victim. Say what you want about Morrow, Williams had some duties as a fiduciary to protect the money in the trust.
ReplyDeleteIf Williams made bad investments, did he breach his duty owed to the beneficaries? If so, could he have committed suicide?
If suicide, Morrow walks...
The love angle is easy. Morrow seduces Williams (but just for his money). That could help explain why Williams trusted Morrow to such an extent.
ReplyDeleteDoing the math, it appears that Harvey Morrow is now 60. Press coverage (CBS4Denver, Denver Post & al) reported his age as 55 in 2006.
ReplyDeleteIf it weren't for freinds of Williams, charges may never have been brought against Morrow. The evidence against Morrow is far from a slam dunk!
ReplyDeleteDon't blame William's friends in the entertainment business. When he went missing it wasn't hard to guess foul play.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but the body wasn't found right away. They had to use a marine biologist to estimate the time of death by looking at barnacle formations. Besides from being pretty gross, one has to wonder how accurate his opinion is that Williams had been in the water between five and 15 days.
ReplyDeleteEven with the range of 5 to 15 days, where was Morrow during that time period?
ReplyDeleteSuicide may be just as likely as murder. How can you distinguish the two without a forensic pathologist viewing preserved evidence?
ReplyDeleteI suspect a forensic pathologist DID examined the preserved evidence. The victim's remains could not have been turned over for burial, or whatever, until no longer needed by the investigators.
ReplyDeleteIt remains to be learned at the trial what conclusions can be drawn from that examination of that evidence.
No murder weapon.
ReplyDeleteNo way to distinguish between suicide or murder.
Several day window of time that the victim may have died during
All this adds up to a tough case.
While searching for more info on the case, I found one of Williams' radio colleagues (Rollye James) has mounted an appeal for funds so the destitute/disabled sister can attend the trial in California.
ReplyDeleteLook under Thursday, 3 March entry of her blog: http://www.rollye.net/BLOG-2.html
Why isn't her transportation or lodging being covered as a part of the trial? Are witnesses expected to foot the bill themselves? Is California THAT broke?
Prosecution usually pays for the travel of a witness. But is the sister a witness at the trial?
ReplyDeleteHope for Morrow's sake that the Prosecutors are wrong. I feel for Williams Sister, but agree with one posting he had responsibilities here too---two sides to every coin.
ReplyDeleteMorrow has daughters that are being hurt by this.
The sad truth is that when someone is murdered, not only are the victims families hurt, so are the families of any suspect. This is true even if the suspect is aquitted or released without being charged.
ReplyDeleteUpdate 6-23-11: In May, trial began. On the second day of trial a mistrial was declared in order to allow the defense to examine newly discovered evidence.
ReplyDeleteI was friends with Steven B. for over 30 years and sadly was friends with Harvey through Steven B. I want to this to be over with and Havery in jail forever.
ReplyDeleteSorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThe trial, rescheduled for 17 October 2011 in Long Beach. concluded after 3 weeks' testimony. After deliberating a day and a half, the Jury returned a Guilty verdict on all counts.
ReplyDeleteSentencing is scheduled for 16 December 2011.
Thanks for update
ReplyDeleteAs Harvey Morrows daughter I would ask that you all think about your families when you say the things you say my dad was an amazing dad and an amazing person and there is a lot more to this than what the media says
ReplyDeleteZoe: what sentence did he get?
ReplyDelete