Left: Yolanda circa, 1977
Right: Age Progressed to age 42
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: July 20, 1977
Missing From: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 5, 1969
Age: 7 years old
Height and Weight: 4’0″ and 55 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African American Female, Black hair, Brown eyes, her middle name might be spelled as Maria
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A blue jumpsuit
NCMEC Number: 976797
Details of Disappearance
Yolanda Williams was last seen on the night of July 20th 1977. She was with her mother Earlene Williams along with her sisters, Ivy and Violet Matory, and was accompanied by Sir-Kristopher Marshall. They all lived inside the residence in the 300 block of east 131st Street. Sir-Kristopher resided in the 1400 block of Belnick Avenue in Carson, California at the time of his disappearance.
The house was set ablaze at approximately 4:30 am. The house burned to the ground. When authorities responded to the scene, they recovered Earlenes body from inside the home. She was near the front door. She was killed by strangulation and her death was deemed a homicide. Further analysis determined that the fire erupted in the room that all of the children were sleeping in.
A trail of blood that led from the home and lead down an alley where it stopped was also found. The person who was bleeding apparently entered a vehicle there. The fire was ruled an arson.
James Williams, Earlenes husband whom she was estranged from, is suspected of killing Earlene and the children. He was questioned regarding Earlenes death and the disappearances of the children. He was released soon after only to be arrested again for killing Earlene. In August of 1977, he was charged with killing the four children.
James and his wife became estranged after James was charged with child molestation and statutory rape in connection to the 1976 sexual assault he committed against Ivy. He claimed that on the night of the fire, he was driving to Bakersfield, California when his car broke down and he had to sleep in his car. His arm was badly cut. He stated that this happened after he had attempted to fix the car.
Witnesses reported that they saw James with the four children at a Denny’s restaurant in Grapevine, California at approximately 5:30 am on July 21st. He was picked up by friends later that day and he did not have the children with him.
The day he was seen with the children was the day that Yolanda, Violet, and Ivy would be testifying about the 1976 sexual abuse incident against James. James was tried twice for the murders but after two deadlocked juries the case was dismissed in July of 1979.
Yolanda and Violet are classified as endangered and Sir-Kristopher is classified as a non family abduction. Authorities believe they are deceased. In 2014, Ivy Matory’s skeletal remains were found but remained unidentified for a few years. The other children have not been located.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office 323-890-5500
Source Information