A woman has been indicted in connection with the deadly shooting of a veteran.
Bonita Yvette Brown, 64, of Birminghan, Ala., was accused last year of murdering 64-year-old Thomas Williams. She was indicted Aug. 28 by a grand jury, according to court records cited by AL.com. The two were reportedly dating and Brown allegedly told police at the time of her arrest that she had been meeting him in a park to engage in sex.
She alleged that Williams, who previously served in the U.S. Army, ended their relationship after they copulated. She then shot him three times.
Jefferson County District Judge Tiara Hudson set Brown’s bond at $100,000 under the conditions that she surrender all firearms and allow bi-weekly monitoring. She remains free under the conditions of the bond.
How Brown Was Arrested
Birmingham Police found William’s body on Nov. 3, 2025, after a passerby spotted him, according to Jefferson County District records, cited by WBRC.
ABC reported that he was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:21 p.m., citing information provided by the coroner’s office.
Using phone records and smartwatch data, in addition to Flock safety cameras able to digitally read license plates, they discovered that Brown and Williams had been in contact immediately before his death. Brown’s vehicle had been in the area at the time of his death.
After Brown was arrested, she confessed she “snapped and shot him three times,” the judge said. She then admitted to dumping Williams’ phone near the airport.
“She further cooperated with police in telling them where to find the firearm she used and the shell casings,” the judge wrote, “which were all recovered from her home.”
Gun Death Data
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not track specific data relating to the number of veterans who die every year because of gun violence.
However, according to public health research from Everytown Support Fund, veterans make up roughly 1 in 10 of all U.S. gun deaths (including suicides).
Across the U.S. population, roughly 15,000 to 20,000 people die each year from gun homicides and unintentional shootings.
A funeral for Williams, whose precise military background has not been released by authorities, was held on Dec. 9, 2025, at W.E. Lusain Funeral Home Chapel.
Writing on an online tribute website, one well-wisher, Delores Pickett, wrote: “I will miss you my friend. This Thanksgiving and Christmas was hard not having you to talk to, and our Birthdays are coming up, and you want be here again to talk about old times, but may you rest in peace, hope to see you again on the other side!”
