LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A protective order a Las Vegas woman had against her ex-boyfriend expired just days before he allegedly strangled her in her home, according to a declaration of a warrant.
Ronald Martin Hetzel Jr. was arrested in California on Feb. 4 and booked into a Victorville County detention center on a murder charge, according to Las Vegas police.
On Jan. 29 around 10 a.m., Metro police received a report that Shirley Williams, 56, was dead inside her home. When officers arrived they found Williams unresponsive on her bedroom floor, police said.
The day before, Hetzel drove to a mini-mart in William’s car and told a mutual friend that he killed Williams, choked her, and was trying to get money to go to Mexico. This information was later relayed to Williams’ friend who went to her house to check on her.
When Williams’ friend got to the house, she found her on her bedroom floor underneath a blanket and with a pillow over her face, police said.
Hetzel and Williams became roommates about a year prior and started dating about six months later, police said.
Friends of Willaims told police that Hetzel had a known temper and “jumped on” Williams several times, trying to choke and hold her down on the ground. Williams told her friend that she was “scared to death” of Hetzel, the declaration said.
Multiple people interviewed by police described Hetzel as abrasive and very loud with a “violent temper.”
A record check showed that Hetzel was convicted of battery domestic violence in 2010, and invasion of a home in 2013.
In October 2022, he was also arrested for battery domestic violence and Williams was listed as the victim. Hetzel allegedly slapped and pushed Williams into a wall because she was in the process of evicting him, police said.
In December 2022, Hetzel was arrested for violating a temporary protective order Williams had against him. On Jan. 25, just days before she was killed, Williams’ extended protection order against Hetzel expired.
On Jan. 28, Hetzel approached an unhoused person he knew and told them “Oh man, uh, uh, uh, I just got into a fight with my girlfriend, look” and “I choked her out.” Hetzel then removed his hat and showed the person a scratch mark Williams left on his head.
When asked if he was sure she was dead Hetzel said that she was “blue,” and “cold.” Hetzel also gave the person Williams’ phone before driving off, the declaration said.
On Jan. 31, Bullhead City police contacted Metro after they responded to a call at a Boys and Girls Club Thrift Store where Hetzel tried to donate a purse containing several locks, a broken crack pipe, and a box full of license plates. Hetzel left before officers arrived.
Hetzel was arrested four days later in California and was booked into a Victorville detention center on a murder charge where he waited for extradition to Las Vegas.
