Chicago man convicted in 1982 murder of Ann Arbor infant
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - A jury convicted Isiah Williams, 78, of Chicago in the 1982 murder of his 8-month-old daughter, Olisa Williams.
A Washtenaw Circuit Court jury found Williams guilty of the presumed death of his daughter. Her body was never found after she went missing on April 29, 1982.
"Thanks to the unwavering commitment of our law enforcement partners, who spent years following every lead in this tragic disappearance, and the dedicated efforts of prosecutors in my office, Olisa’s family can finally see a measure of justice served," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. "I hope this conviction may bring some peace and healing to Olisa’s loved ones."
Williams took Olisa from her mother’s arms during a physical altercation in Ohio and transported her to Michigan, where she was last seen alive in the summer of that year in Williams’ custody.
Ann Arbor police requested the Department of Attorney General review the case in early 2021. The open-murder charge was brought against Williams in October of that year.
Since 1983, the Ann Arbor Police Department has had multiple detectives working this case, and in 2011 the case was reopened and assigned to Detective Dan Iverson.
It was Iverson’s continued investigation that led to the charges.
Olisa Williams was born Aug. 10, 1981 in Ann Arbor. Her mother, Denise Frazier-Daniel, never got to celebrate her daughter's first birthday.
The couple had been living in Ohio at the time, but both had family and friends in Michigan. Williams has a long history of domestic violence against Frazier-Daniel, much of which is detailed in contacts with police in both states.
Frazier-Daniel never gave up looking for her daughter and became heavily involved with missing person organizations over the years in addition to maintaining contact with police, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Williams will be sentenced July 10 in 22nd Circuit Court in Washtenaw County.
