Pawned jewelry, security video ties suspect to grisly Alabama triple murder: Defense questions lack of DNA

New, chilling details are coming to light regarding the south Alabama family triple murder that shocked the community this spring. During a preliminary hearing held Wednesday, authorities outlined a web of surveillance footage and pawned jewelry connecting 54-year-old William Graham Oliver to the gruesome crimes.

The Tragic Case

Oliver faces multiple capital murder charges stemming from the April 19 slayings of 46-year-old Lisa Ferguson, her 12-year-old son Thomas Cordell Jr., and her 17-year-old pregnant daughter, Keziah Luker. In a harrowing discovery, an 18-month-old child was found unharmed at the scene on Auble Moody Road in Wilmer.

Evidence and Testimony

Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ivan Norfus testified that the investigation hinges on a specific vehicle and the victims' movements. A witness reported a light tan Grand Marquis near the family home shortly before 7:00 p.m. on the night of the murders. Digital tracking data from the victims' phones showed them being moved to a church parking lot on the 9400 block of Georgetown Road before the devices were discarded.

Surveillance footage later captured the same vehicle at that church and a Circle K gas station, where the driver was identified as an older white male. Nathan Fields, Ferguson's husband, identified the driver as Oliver, noting that the victim and suspect had a history of trading drugs and pills. Fields also stated that Oliver owed Ferguson approximately $140.

While Oliver admitted he was the man in the gas station footage, he claimed he had borrowed the vehicle from another man, Gary Pritchett. Pritchett confirmed lending the car but denied any connection to the victims. Oliver further denied being at the Ferguson home that day, despite detective testimony indicating a text message exchange between Oliver and Ferguson earlier that afternoon.

Pawned Items and Defense Strategy

Perhaps the most damning evidence involves a series of transactions following the murders. Investigators say Oliver pawned multiple pieces of jewelry—including diamond rings and necklaces—on April 20, 21, and 27 that appeared consistent with items owned by Ferguson. Although police found a .22 caliber gun case and ammunition at Oliver’s residence, the weapon itself remains missing.

Defense attorney Tom Walsh challenged the state’s position, highlighting the current lack of DNA evidence linking Oliver to the crime scene. "If there’s no DNA in this case, then what do we have here?" Walsh remarked to reporters. "The state’s case is holding on by a thread."

Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood remains confident, noting that standard forensic processes for ballistics and final autopsy reports are still underway. "The fact that DNA is not back doesn’t complicate anything," Blackwood said. "There are other forensic pieces of evidence."

Oliver has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A judge has ruled that sufficient probable cause exists to move the case forward to a grand jury, and Oliver remains in jail without bond.