The Wilmer killings left one toddler alive and a capital case moving through Mobile County.
MOBILE, Ala. — Relatives of a Wilmer family killed inside their home are mourning a devoted mother, a pregnant teenager and a 12-year-old boy as prosecutors prepare a capital murder case against a man who knew them.
Lisa Gail Fields, 46, her daughter Keziah Arionna Luker, 17, and her son Thomas Cordelle Jr., 12, were found dead April 20 at their home on Auble Moody Road. Luker was about eight months pregnant, and her unborn child also died. William Graham Oliver, 54, was arrested April 28 and charged with eight counts of capital murder. Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said the case includes children, an unborn child and an 18-month-old who survived inside the home.
Obituaries and family comments described Fields as loving and generous, the center of a family that depended on her steady care. Luker was remembered as outgoing and spontaneous, a young mother who was preparing to welcome another daughter. Thomas was described as a child who enjoyed games, music and math and was looking ahead to life beyond elementary school. Those memories became public as investigators described a much colder set of facts: three bodies in separate rooms, hands bound behind backs, and a home left in disorder. The contrast has shaped how relatives and neighbors have talked about the case.
The surviving toddler was found unharmed when deputies arrived, authorities said. Investigators have not said where in the house the child was located or whether she witnessed any part of the violence. Her presence is reflected in one of the capital murder counts, which alleges murder in the presence of a child. Burch said the deaths of children made the case harder for law enforcement. “Anytime there are children involved, it makes it a little tougher and especially an unborn child,” he said. Authorities have not publicly described the child’s placement after the killings.
The family was discovered after Luker’s partner, who was working offshore, became worried that he could not reach her. Burch said the partner noticed activity connected to her phone or a location app and thought something might be wrong. He asked a family member to check on the home. That person entered around 2:30 a.m. April 20 and found Fields, Luker and Thomas dead. Deputies then opened a homicide investigation that at first appeared to involve more than one possible attacker because the victims had been restrained and placed in separate rooms.
Authorities said Fields had been stabbed and had her throat cut. Luker had been shot. Thomas had a fatal cut to his throat. Each victim had been bound with zip ties or flex cuffs, Burch said. The sheriff said the violence and the condition of the home led investigators to believe the attack was targeted and that someone was searching for something. He said the case did not appear to be a domestic dispute. Burch later said investigators believe Oliver was the person searching the home, but he did not disclose what Oliver was allegedly looking for or why.
Oliver’s arrest changed the public focus from an unknown suspect to a man who lived in the same broader community and had known the family. Burch said Oliver had been at the home around 7:30 p.m. April 19, several hours before the bodies were found. He described the timeline as tight and the evidence as strong but circumstantial. Deputies executed a search warrant at Oliver’s home and arrested him during a traffic stop. Investigators said they seized a vehicle and other supporting evidence. They have not released a full list of items recovered, and they have not said whether a weapon was found.
Oliver is charged with capital murder of two or more people, capital murder during a burglary, capital murder involving a child younger than 14 and capital murder in the presence of a child. Local reports said two counts relate to Luker’s unborn baby. Jail records cited in local coverage show Oliver had a criminal history dating back to 1990, including property-related arrests and a 2020 theft case. Burch said the current charges appeared to be Oliver’s first violent charges. Oliver is presumed innocent unless proven guilty, and the public record had not shown a trial date as of May 10.
The grief reached beyond the home on Auble Moody Road. In Wilmer, residents followed the case from the first reports of a family found dead to the later announcement that a local man had been arrested. A neighbor of Oliver told a local station that seeing SWAT officers at the property was shocking and that murder was the last thing on his mind when law enforcement arrived. The neighbor described Oliver as a father and handyman. For the victims’ relatives, the arrest offered a measure of movement but not relief. Burch said the arrest would not bring the victims back, though it could provide some form of justice for the family.
The next phase will turn on evidence that has not yet been made public. Prosecutors will have to show how Oliver was connected to the home, what happened between the alleged evening visit and the early morning welfare check, and how the burglary-related counts fit the killings. Investigators have said they know the motive but are keeping it back for court. The death of Luker’s unborn child, the age of Thomas and the presence of the toddler all add legal weight to the case. They also keep the focus on the family structure that was torn apart.
As of May 10, Oliver remained charged in Mobile County, and investigators had not announced any additional arrests. The public record still leaves several questions unanswered, including what was sought inside the house and what evidence was seized. The family’s next milestone is now tied to the court calendar, where the capital charges will begin moving through hearings.
Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.