Mother seeks justice for son shot in WA 7 years ago

Yvette Dailey is still grappling with the loss of her only son, James Little, who was shot to death in 2017.

WHITE CENTER, Wash. - Yvette Dailey is still grappling with the loss of her only son, James Little, who was shot to death in 2017.

He would have celebrated his 38th birthday on Aug. 14. Instead, his mother is left mourning a senseless tragedy that has gone unresolved for more than seven years.

"I miss him. He used to come to my house in the mornings, make me breakfast," Yvette shared, her voice heavy with grief. "Some days I'm in here screaming and crying."

On May 7, 2017, Bookie — as he was affectionally called by family, pronounced "boo-kee" — was shot and killed outside the Taradise Café in White Center. Surveillance footage captured the moment when Billy D. Williams allegedly pulled a gun and shot him in the head.

Yvette rushed to the scene.

"And that's when I saw my son laying on the ground covered in a yellow tarp," Yvette recalled.

King County Major Crimes detectives identified Williams as the suspect. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, and he has been on the run ever since.

"You murdered my son. Let us hear your side of the story," Yvette demanded, expressing her frustration with the lack of progress in the case.

Detectives say they learned Williams was telling a fake story that the shooting was in self-defense.

"The video, we strongly believe, speaks for itself and shows otherwise; that is simply not the case," said King County Sheriff's Cpt. Tim Meyer.

Yvette has not only been dealing with her grief, but has also been in grief counseling.

"If he gets caught, will that help you heal? It will help me heal," she said, highlighting the emotional toll the years of waiting have taken on her family.

James's cousin, Karlton Daniel, reflected on the impact of the loss. He was with James at a track meet with the rest of the family just hours before the shooting. "It's actually devastating because I watched James change his life around," said Karlton. "To me, I look at it like this is another young Black man nobody really cares about, but I do."

He believes that the community's silence as Williams continued to walk free has contributed to their suffering. He wants people to change their thinking and be part of the solution, not part of pain.

"Here's what's right: you need to turn yourself in, and if you don't, I'm gonna turn you in," he said.

Every year on Bookie's birthday, Yvette and her family gather to celebrate his life and remember him. She wishes Williams would surrender.

"I think my family deserves that much. Your family has had you for the last seven years while we still sit and suffer," she added.

Realizing that is unlikely at this point, she is urging those who know where he is to come forward. "I know he has a mother, a grandmother out there and for you guys to lose him, at least he will still be alive, and you can see him. I will never see my son again," she said.

Detectives say Williams initially left Seattle after the shooting but has returned to the area at times. They believe friends or family are hiding him. He has a large visible scar down the center of his chest.

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WANTED IN KING COUNTY - BILLY WILLIAMS

They are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts, cell phone number or social media accounts to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound. The info can be texted through the P3 Tips App or at P3 Tips.com or you can call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You will never be asked to give your name.

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering a $1,000 cash reward for the tip that leads to Williams' capture.