CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — Editor's Note: The above video is from August 2021.
Warning: This story contains graphic details that may be unsettling for some readers
A man charged with killing a Clarksville woman last year will stand trial, according to Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull.
36-year-old Brian Williams is accused of decapitating and mutilating the body of 67-year-old Melody Gambetty before setting her apartment on fire in July 2021.
In August, a judge ordered a psychiatrist to evaluate Williams to determine if he had any intellectual disabilities that would prevent him from standing trial. During a pretrial conference Jan.12, the results of his examination were released.
"Based upon all of the information I have right now, he is able to be tried," Mull said.
The trial, which had originally been set for Jan.18, has been pushed back to May 17 due to the high number of COVID cases in Clark County. Mull said all trials in Clark County have been paused until at least March.
Case Background
On July 27, 2021, Maj. Joel DeMoss with Clarksville Police said officers responded to a call in the 400 block of Kensington Drive after the Clarksville Fire Department discovered the decapitated body of Gambetty during an active fire.
DeMoss said surveillance footage and information from neighbors helped identify Williams as a lead suspect. Police found "all the pertinent evidence" needed during a search warrant of Williams' home, leading to his arrest.
At the time, DeMoss said police believed it was a "botched robbery or home invasion that just went bad." He added that Gambetty's body had several stab wounds.
Officers found body parts they believe were those of Gambetty in a suitcase at Williams' house. Several IDs and credit cards were also found during a search of the home, as well as a small hand saw with human blood and tissue on the blade.
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