Plea agreement by Burr Oak area resident

Murder suspect Marie Williams accepted a plea agreement Tuesday, a day after jury selection for her trial had started.
Williams, a Burr Oak area resident, pled guilty to second-degree murder before Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman.
By taking the deal, Williams avoids the chance of being convicted of first-degree murder and receiving a life sentence without parole. Williams was about to stand trial in the 2014 fatal shooting of Dennis Brooks.
She is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 21.
In the agreement, Stutesman will follow the guidelines in setting the minimum amount of time Williams will serve. There is, however, no agreement on the maximum sentence Stutesman can impose related to the 2014 murder, which took place in Burr Oak Township.