William Graham Oliver faces eight capital murder counts after four deaths inside a rural Mobile County home.
MOBILE, AL — A 54-year-old Wilmer man has been charged with eight counts of capital murder after a mother, her pregnant teenage daughter, her son and the unborn child were found dead inside a Mobile County home.
William Graham Oliver was booked Tuesday after investigators tied him to the April 20 killings of Lisa Fields, 46; Keziah Luker, 17; Thomas Cordelle Jr., 12; and Luker’s unborn child. The case has drawn intense attention across Mobile County because of the ages of the victims, the number of charges and the condition of the home where deputies found the family.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found the victims early April 20 at a home on Auble Moody Road in the Wilmer community. Sheriff Paul Burch said the victims were discovered in separate rooms and had been bound with zip ties or flex cuffs. Burch said Fields had been stabbed and her throat was cut, Luker was shot, and Thomas’ throat was cut. Luker’s 18-month-old daughter was found alive and unharmed inside the home. “Anytime there are children involved, it makes it a little tougher, and especially an unborn child,” Burch said.
Investigators said Oliver knew the family and had been inside the home the evening before the bodies were found. Burch said Oliver was at the house around 7:30 p.m. April 19 and that investigators believe he was looking for something. The sheriff said officials know what Oliver was seeking and believe they know a motive, but he declined to make those details public because the case is moving toward court. “Very, very tight timeline. Very solid circumstantial evidence at this point, and we feel confident that we have the right man,” Burch said.
The charges include one count of capital murder of two or more people, four counts of capital murder during a burglary, two counts of capital murder of a child younger than 14 and one count of capital murder in the presence of a child. Deputies arrested Oliver after a traffic stop near his home, then searched his residence in Wilmer. Investigators were seen removing several bags of evidence from the property. Burch said Oliver is believed to be the sole suspect at this stage, though authorities have not released every piece of evidence they say connects him to the killings.
The deaths were first described by officials as a triple homicide before authorities included Luker’s unborn child, making it a quadruple homicide. Family members said Luker was several months pregnant. Deputies said the toddler who survived was too young to tell investigators what happened. The case began after concern grew when family members could not reach the victims. By the time deputies arrived at the home, the scene had become one of the most severe homicide investigations in Mobile County this year. Officials have not said whether any weapon has been recovered.
Oliver’s criminal history includes earlier arrests dating back decades, but Burch said the new allegations are the first violent charges known to investigators. Jail records cited by authorities show Oliver had been charged with first-degree theft of property in 2020. Neighbors who spoke after the arrest described him as quiet and said the allegations shocked them. One neighbor, Mark Coleman, said he saw deputies and a SWAT team at Oliver’s home after the arrest. Coleman said Oliver had appeared to be a family man who spent time with his children.
Relatives and friends gathered Wednesday in Theodore to remember Fields, Luker, Thomas and the unborn child. The service was held at Serenity Funeral Home, with burial at Serenity Memorial Gardens. Family members described Fields as a generous woman who helped others and said Luker had wanted to become a nurse. Those who knew the family said the killings left a deep wound in Wilmer, a small community west of Mobile where many residents know one another and where violent crimes involving multiple children are rare.
Court records accuse Oliver of illegally entering Fields’ home before the killings. He is accused of using an unknown sharp object in the deaths of Fields and Thomas and of shooting Luker in front of her young daughter. Prosecutors have not announced whether they will seek the death penalty. Oliver was scheduled for a bond hearing Thursday morning. It was not immediately clear from public reports whether he had entered a plea or whether an attorney had been appointed or retained to speak for him.
Burch said investigators are still protecting parts of the case as they prepare for the next legal steps. He said the evidence includes timing, Oliver’s connection to the victims and what investigators found after the arrest. “We finally came to a conclusion,” Burch said. “It’s not going to bring our victims back, but it’ll certainly be some form of justice for the family.” Officials said more details are expected to come through court filings and hearings.
Oliver remained in custody as the capital murder case moved into its first court phase. The next major step is the bond hearing and the filing of further court records that may show more about the evidence investigators say led them to him.
Author note: Last updated April 30, 2026.