MUSKEGON, Mich. – The man suspected in the death of a Muskegon County mom was in court Wednesday for a judge to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial.
Ronald Earl Williams in charged with the murder of Bobbie Maples, 32, of Roosevelt Park. Maples disappeared in December of 2014, just a couple of weeks after giving birth to a daughter. Her body was found in January 2016, buried under a horse corral in Fruitland Township.
In Wednesday’s hearing, the court heard more details of how Maples was found. Investigators testified that Maples had sleeping medication in her system. She was found with tape on her mouth and nose and a plastic bag over her head. She was wrapped in plastic sheet and had tape all over her body.
Earlier court transcripts had said that Maples died from being suffocated with duct tape.
Also in court today, it was revealed that Williams tried to kill himself while in jail on drug charges and jail staff found a note written by Williams that talked about the death of Maples.
Investigators say that Williams was the last known person to have seen Maples alive. Her body was found less than a mile from his home.
Also in court, a police interview was played where Williams said that he and Maples used heroin together. He says that he found her in the bathroom, blue in the face. He told police that he provided heroin to Maples.
Williams admitted to police to burying Maples, but did not admit to taping her mouth and nose shut or putting the bag on her head.
The judge ruled just before 3:00pm that Williams will go to trial for the murder of Maples.
Williams has a criminal past that includes felony obstruction of police and delivering or manufacturing narcotics.
We’ll have more from the courtroom starting at 4:00pm on FOX 17 News.
