Federal authorities are still searching for Tamera Renee Williams, a Michigan woman accused of one of the most gruesome crimes in recent state history — the 2018 killing and dismemberment of her boyfriend, David Carter, whose body parts were found scattered along an Ohio highway.
Williams, now 46, remains at large seven years after the murder. She was added to the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2023, with a $25,000 reward offered for information leading to her arrest. Despite years of leads, sightings, and television coverage, she has managed to elude capture.
Authorities say Carter, 39, was last seen alive in late September 2018 in Melvindale, a small city just outside Detroit. A week later, highway workers found his dismembered remains in multiple locations along Interstate 75 near Hancock, Ohio, roughly 130 miles south. A felony warrant soon followed, charging Williams with first-degree murder, mutilation of a dead body, and evidence tampering.
But by the time police arrived at her home, she was gone. Investigators believe Williams fled Michigan immediately after the killing, possibly traveling to Brooklyn, New York, according to WXYZ Detroit. Federal authorities say she has since used her professional background as a phlebotomist — someone trained to draw blood — to blend in and find work at medical clinics while on the run.
“Tamera Williams stands accused of a heinous, brutal crime,” U.S. Marshals Director Ronald L. Davis said when she was added to the most-wanted list. “Her apprehension is our highest priority, and the family of David Carter deserves justice. I strongly encourage anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to do the right thing and contact us so we can get her into custody as quickly and as safely as possible.”
The story gained renewed national attention after being featured on Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries” in 2022, as well as FOX’s “America’s Most Wanted” and Investigation Discovery’s “In Pursuit with John Walsh.” Despite multiple reported tips since the episodes aired, Williams has never been found.
Carter’s father, Elton, told reporters last year that he believes Williams is being sheltered by someone. “I just pray that whoever is helping her, turn her in,” he said.
Williams, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a Freemason-affiliated group, was described by the U.S. Marshals as 5-foot-5, weighing roughly 160 pounds, and having a large tattoo of roses on her left shoulder. Officials warn she may have changed her appearance or assumed a new identity.
Carter’s sister, Tasia Carter-Jackson, described her brother as “very kind” and “an amazing dad,” calling his death “a nightmare that never ends.”
As the years pass without answers, investigators say the trail has grown colder — but not closed. “We never give up on cases like this,” a federal marshal involved in the search told local media. “People talk. People slip up. Sooner or later, someone will.”
Anyone with information about Williams’ whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or submit a tip through the USMS Tips App.
