He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 35 years for ordering the murders of three people and conspiracy to murder a fourth (which was unsuccessful). On 19 April 2010, Williams died while incarcerated at Barwon Prison after being beaten to death with part of an exercise bike by another inmate.
Williams enlisted the help of others willing to perform the contract killings in exchange for large payments of cash. At the time of his death, he was in the maximum security Acacia unit of HM Prison Barwon near Geelong. Williams would have been 71 before he was eligible for parole.
Williams was portrayed by Gyton Grantley in the 2008 television series Underbelly, based on the events surrounding the Melbourne gangland wars from 1995 through to 2004
Williams attended Broadmeadows West Technical School, leaving in Year 11. He was married to convicted drug trafficker Roberta Williams (born 23 March 1969),[5] with whom he had one child, Dhakota (born 10 March 2001). Williams held various labouring jobs before opening a children's clothing store in partnership with his wife, which eventually failed.
On 25 November 1999, Williams, along with his father, George and another associate, was arrested and charged with drug trafficking after a raid on a Broadmeadows illegal drug factory. In excess of 250,000 amphetamine tablets were seized by police, estimated to be worth up to $20 million.
On 13 October 1999, Williams was shot in the abdomen by Jason Moran because he owed the Morans thousands of dollars. This event gave rise to a lengthy underworld war known popularly as the Melbourne gangland killings.
Mark Moran was shot on 15 June 2000 after arriving at his luxury home in Aberfeldie. Williams was due to stand trial for his murder, but the charge was dropped when he pleaded guilty to other murders.
Jason Moran and associate Pasquale Barbaro were shot dead sitting in Moran's car at a football club in Essendon, on 21 June 2003. Williams ordered two associates to carry out the murder. The location of the shooting was reported to be behind the Cross Keys Hotel in Strathmore, Victoria. The murder was witnessed by six children aged 6 and under.
Mark Mallia was an associate of murdered underworld criminal, Nik Radev. At 8.05 am on 18 August 2003 a fire was reported in a stormwater drain in Sunshine. Fire brigade members attending to the fire recovered a wheelie bin containing the remains of a charred body inside, later identified as Mallia.
Marshall was shot outside his luxury South Yarra home in front of his five-year-old son on 25 October 2003.On 28 February 2007, Williams pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of Victoria to the murders of Lewis Moran, his son Jason Moran and Mark Mallia (whose name was initially suppressed by the court).
Williams also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder gangland rival Mario Condello. A suppression order prevented the media from reporting this until the day of sentencing.[10] Under a deal with police, Williams was not charged for his alleged involvement in orchestrating the murder of Mark Moran, Jason Moran's half brother.It was also revealed that Williams was serving a sentence of 21 years for the 2003 murder of Michael Marshall. The outcome of this trial had previously been suppressed.
On 19 April 2010 News Limited newspapers including the Herald Sun revealed that Victoria Police are paying $8000 in school fees for Williams' daughter. The reason for the payment has not been disclosed.Williams' lawyer Rob Stary said Williams was upset about the publication of the story.
There was speculation that the police may have agreed to pay the school fees in exchange for information, and that publication of the story may have led to Williams' death. The Herald Sun has defended its publication of the story.
On 19 April 2010, Williams died from head injury while incarcerated at Barwon Prison. It appears that he was struck with part of an exercise bike by another inmate, who has since been charged with murder. He cannot be identified because of a suppression order.Williams' funeral was held on 30 April 2010 at St Therese's Catholic Church in Essendon.
Carl Williams interview with Derryn Hinch on 3aw
