Jury begins in 2021 Fresno murder trial

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A final plea in court on Wednesday as lawyers made their closing arguments in the murder trial of Christopher Williams after eleven days of evidence.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I submit that it was Mr. Williams who enabled the commission of this murder,” said prosecutor Ismail Aliyev.

Williams' fate will now be decided by a Fresno County jury, which will decide whether he is responsible for the death of Kylin Baca-Fullmer in July 2021. The defense argues he is innocent.

“The reasonable conclusion is that Williams was not in the SUV at the time,” defense attorney Curtis Sok said of the vehicle from which the shots were fired.

ShotSpotter sensors recorded 13 gunshots near the corner of Calwa and Bardell Avenue in southwest Fresno. Police found Baca-Fullmer dead at the scene, sitting in the driver's seat of a car.

Prosecutors believe another man, Kevin Coleman, pulled the trigger, but Williams assisted him.

“He gave Mr. Coleman the perfect vantage point from which he could aim at the driver's seat,” Aliyev said.

Prosecutors have charged Coleman and Williams with murder, shooting at a car and assault with a semi-automatic weapon. Both men have pleaded not guilty, and Coleman will be tried separately.

Williams' defense attorney says his client was only arrested because he is a gang member and that there is not enough evidence to prove that Williams was in the car from which the shots were fired.

“Look at it, ladies and gentlemen,” Sok said. “It's hard to tell. Not to mention we can't see the driver's face or the number of people in the SUV.”

Williams could face life in prison if convicted of murder. Coleman's jury trial could begin Oct. 21, according to court records.