He was originally charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Jessica Gomez, 26, of Fort Dodge.

But in a last-minute change, the 26-year-old defendant accepted a plea agreement between prosecutors and defense attorneys. His first-degree murder trial was supposed to begin Monday in Linn County on a change of venue.

At the plea hearing, Williams admitted that he choked Gomez and later helped burn her body to cover up the crime.

“I put Jessica Gomez in a chokehold with intent to cause her death,” Williams said.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Phillip Williams, left, prepares to be taken out of the courtroom by jailer Daniel Ramirez Villa, right, with the Webster County Jail, Monday after pleading guilty to attempted murder.

He added, “I helped burn the body to hide the crime.”

The murder is alleged to have occurred on or about Aug. 5, 2017, in an apartment in Clare where Mackenzie Knigge, 27, was reportedly living.

Knigge will be tried for first-degree murder in June in Story County.

Ryan Baldridge, first assistant Webster County attorney, told the court there was no discussion about Williams cooperating with prosecution in Knigge’s case.

On Aug. 7, 2017, Webster County sheriff’s deputies were called to the apartment in Clare, where they found large amounts of blood in the bathroom and evidence of an attempt to clean the apartment, including the presence of cleaning supplies, according to the criminal complaint, filed with the Webster County attorney’s office.

Gomez’s partially-burned body was found in a roadside ditch along Indiana Avenue near Clare on Aug. 12, 2017.

At first, Knigge was reported missing, along with Gomez, on Aug. 9, 2017.

But Knigge was arrested on Aug. 10, 2017, and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gomez, who was at one time described as being her friend.

Williams was arrested the same day.

With the plea deal, Williams faces a maximum possible sentence of 32 years in prison. The sentences on each of his charges will be served consecutively.

Attempted murder is a class B forcible felony, for which Williams faces up 25 years.

Abuse of a human corpse is a class D felony, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.

Accessory after the fact is an aggravated misdemeanor.

Judge Thomas Bice, of the 2nd Judicial District, is presiding over the Williams case. He scheduled sentencing for April 22 at 2 p.m. in Webster County District Court.

Williams is being represented by Public Defender Katherine Flickinger, of Nevada.

The case is being prosecuted by Baldridge and Assistant Iowa Attorney General Laura Roan.

In addition to the charges in Iowa, Williams also has an outstanding seven-year prison sentence out of Indiana. He pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and being a habitual offender in 2018, shortly before he was extradited to Iowa to face the Gomez murder charge.

Baldridge said the family of Gomez is supportive of the outcome.

“I met with the family of Jessica Gomez yesterday,” Baldridge said on Monday during the hearing. “And they are likewise understanding of the plea agreement regarding this particular case and they look forward to a final resolution in this case and the Knigge case in June.”

Knigge will stand trial on June 10 in Story County.

Williams is being held in the Webster County Jail without bond pending his sentencing.