‘I’m going to kill Danielle’: Threats made before East St. Louis shooting, witnesses say
A woman charged with murder had threatened to kill the victim before the fatal shooting, which was recorded on a surveillance video outside an East St. Louis nightclub, a St. Clair County prosecutor said.
Lakecia S. Cole, 45, of Cahokia Heights made the threats against 39-year-old Danielle R. Williams, who was shot and later died in a St. Louis hospital, a prosecutor said during a pre-trial detention hearing. Cole has been charged with first-degree murder.
St. Clair County Associate Judge Sara L. Rice on Thursday ordered Cole to remain in jail until her trial. Judges have been holding detention hearings for people charged with serious offenses since Sept. 18 when Illinois ended its cash bail system.
A surveillance video from Another Level nightclub shows Cole grabbing an item from her car at about 1:40 a.m. Monday, according to St. Clair County Assistant State’s Attorney Derek Smith. The video also shows Williams being pistol whipped and a muzzle flash from a gun being fired at Williams, Smith said.
Smith said responding police officers heard Williams say “help” as she was being put into a private vehicle that took her to St. Louis University Hospital. Williams, of East St. Louis, was pronounced dead at 5:19 a.m. Monday, according to the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office.
Smith said Cole and Williams had been in a dispute but he did not report why the two women were fighting.
The prosecutor told Rice that a witness said she heard Cole say, “I’m going to kill that bitch. I’m going to kill Danielle.” Another witness also told police she heard Cole threaten to kill Williams, Smith said.
When police officers arrived, they saw Cole being restrained by a man outside the club in the 600 block of Martin Luther King Drive.
Rice noted Cole did not appear to have a felony record but ruled she is considered a “real and present threat” to the community since there is video evidence and multiple witnesses made statements against her. Rice also acknowledged Williams was shot multiple times.
St. Clair County Public Defender Cathy MacElroy asked Rice to allow Cole to leave the St. Clair County Jail while the murder charge was pending and noted the allegations were “completely out of character” for Cole.
Cole had been working full time as a certified nursing assistant and caring for her father in Cahokia Heights, MacElroy said.
Rice called the case “doubly tragic” before ruling that Cole should remain in jail.
Williams’ death marked the fifth homicide in East St. Louis as reported in the Belleville News-Democrat this year.
This story was originally published May 17, 2024 at 12:24 PM.
