'I lost my mind': Anderson man after admitting to stabbing wife to death

Anderson Police Department

By: Lucas Gonzalez

ANDERSON — An Anderson man told police he stabbed his wife to death at their home Tuesday because he caught her having an affair, court documents allege.

A probable cause affidavit states that Curtis Williams, 61 called 911 himself after killing Claudette Williams, 51, and repeatedly admitted to the act, making statements such as, "It was unacceptable" and "I accepted nothing less than death."

Curtis Williams also suffered a non-lethal laceration which detectives believe was self-inflicted, either as an attempt to establish a self-defense claim or die by suicide.

Anderson police began their investigation about 10 a.m. while responding to the Williams' home in the 2900 block of West 11th Street after Curtis Williams called 911 to report he had killed Claudette Williams.

When officers arrived, they found Claudette Williams in the home's living room with a laceration wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Meanwhile, Curtis Williams was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a laceration on his left wrist. The cut was so deep it exposed tendons, muscle and bone.

Curtis Williams told police at the hospital that he "came home and caught my wife cheatin'" and "tried to catch (the man she was with)" before he killed his wife, according to the affidavit.

"She tried to stop me from getting him and cut me, and I cut her back," the affidavit says Williams told police.

When asked how many times he had stabbed his wife, Curtis Williams responded, "I don't know man, I lost my mind, man ... It just happened, man. I lost my mind, man ... I have destroyed my life," according to the affidavit.

Police also asked Curtis Williams if he had cut himself, which he denied. However, investigators determined his injury was consistent with that of a self-inflicted laceration.

Officers found a knife in Claudette Williams' hand at the crime scene, but according to the affidavit, investigators found that blood there were droplets of blood on the knife, which isn't consistent with a cutting motion.

"The cutting edge of the knife was facing upward toward Claudette's head (as) if she were in a standing position. This is not a natural position to hold a knife, especially if used to slash or cut as described by Curtis," the affidavit reads.

It continues, "Claudette may have been standing in the kitchen at the time (she was killed)."

Anderson Police Detective Caleb McKnight said an autopsy is scheduled to take place later Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, a jury trial had not been scheduled for Curtis Williams. He was scheduled to appear for an initial hearing 1 p.m. Wednesday at Madison Circuit Court.