CONFESSION PLAYED IN COURT

Accused killer Kori Muhammad says he wanted to kill white men

By Robert Rodriguez

The Fresno Bee
March 9, 2020

Accused killer Kori Ali Muhammad, who is on trial for murdering four people, told detectives the day of his arrest that since he was a suspect in the killing of one white man, he might as well go out and kill more.

In a taped interview with Fresno detectives, Muhammad explained why he killed Carl Williams III, a 25-year-old security guard at a Motel 6 in central Fresno on April 13 and how that led to three more shooting deaths about a week later.

Muhammad faces the death penalty if found guilty of the quadruple murders. His lawyers have said Muhammad suffers from mental illness, including schizophrenia. He has told police he was acting out of anger over the treatment of black people in the United States.

On the tape, Muhammad tells detectives Victor Miranda and Miguel Alvarez about how Williams was allegedly disrespectful to him. Muhammad was visiting a friend that night when a security guard noticed him and told the manager.

Muhammad was asked by the manager to register in the office and pay a nominal visitor’s fee. Muhammad and the motel guest argued about it. Ultimately, Muhammad complied and went to the manager’s office to register, but the manager testified he felt threatened and kicked Muhammad and the guest out of the motel.

Video from a motel surveillance camera shows the moment Muhammad comes up from behind Williams and then turns around and fatally shoots him.

Muhammad tells the detectives that he was fed up with disrespect and racism against blacks: “It starts taking its toll on you and you get fed up with the racism. You get tired of letting things slide.”

After the shooting, Muhammad hid and considered fleeing to Los Angeles or San Diego. While he was on the run, he stopped outside the Starbucks on Olive Avenue in the Tower District to grab the free WiFi signal. He said that after looking at the Channel 30 news app, he found out he was wanted for the murder of Williams and knew it was just a matter of time before he got caught.

He told detectives that if he was “going down for murder” the best thing was to “kill as many white men” as he could.

Muhammad said he targeted a Pacific Gas & Electric truck because Muhammad’s father worked for the company until his addiction to crack cocaine ruined his life. Muhammad blames the U.S. government for its alleged role in allowing crack cocaine to spread. He said the sight of the PG&E truck triggered him.

When he saw a white male in the passenger seat of the truck, he raised his Colt Python .357 revolver and fired four times hitting 34-year-old Zackary Randalls.

Muhammad went on to kill two other men in the downtown area of Fulton and Mildreda avenues: Mark Gassett, 37, and David Jackson, 58.