Gregory Crawford is currently serving a sentence of life without parole for the 1994 murder of D'Angelo Williams in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mr. Crawford's conviction was based primarily on the identification of a single eyewitness, Orvelia Williams, who was a friend of the victim. The State's case did not include physical evidence directly connecting Mr. Crawford to the crime. There was no recovered weapon, confession, or other eyewitness testimony identifying him as the shooter.
Single Eyewitness Identification
The conviction relied heavily on one eyewitness identification made several months after the shooting. Questions have been raised regarding:
- The delay between the crime and the identification.
- The conditions surrounding the original identification.
- Differences between the initial description of the suspect and Mr. Crawford's appearance.
- The lack of independent physical evidence supporting the identification.
Eyewitness Recantation
After Mr. Crawford's appeals were completed, Orvelia Williams provided sworn statements in 2009 and 2011 questioning his original identification. In these statements, Mr. Williams stated that he was not fully certain of his identification, that he felt influenced during the identification process, and that he later questioned whether he may have identified the wrong person.
The recantation evidence has not been fully reviewed by a court.
Lack of Physical Evidence
The conviction did not include physical evidence directly linking Mr. Crawford to the crime. The case relied primarily on eyewitness testimony, while issues remain regarding additional investigative information, witness statements, and evidence that may require further review.