Woman charged in Waltham fight that preceded girlfriend’s shooting death, DA says

WALTHAM, Mass. — A woman is facing charges in connection with a fight that preceded the shooting death of her girlfriend in Waltham late Friday night, authorities announced Monday.

Melanie Williams, 30, of Waltham, was arraigned Monday afternoon in Waltham District Court on charges including assault and battery on a household or family member, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell.

Officers responding to a parking lot next to an apartment building on Second Avenue around 11:30 p.m. found 24-year-old Zharia Wilcox-Ellis, of Waltham, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, Ryan and O’Connell said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation indicated that Williams was involved in an altercation involving a group of people outside the apartment building and that surveillance video shows her striking Wilcox-Ellis, Ryan and O’Connell noted.

For now, Williams is only charged with the assault, but Wilcox-Ellis’s murder is still under investigation.

In court a prosecutor said the video not only showed the assault, it also revealed the victim was badly wounded before she was even struck.

“You also see in the video, just prior, that Ms. Wilcox is already bleeding. She has blood coming down one side of her face and a laceration to one part of her forehead,” said Middlesex Assistant DA Carrie Spiros.

Other people who live in the apartment said they saw and heard up to a half dozen people outside the apartment building, loudly arguing, at the time of the assault.

“It was loud, going to escalate, is that it sounded like to me,” said a woman who identified herself as “Mac.”

“I figured it was going to escalate to violence, it was yelling and screaming, it wasn’t friendly stuff at all,” said a man who only identified himself as “Dave.”

As Williams was arraigned, the victim’s family crowded into the courtroom.

“I just wanted to look at her, for her to see my face and to know we know that she did it, and she’s not going to get away with it,” said Shyri Wilcox, Wilcox-Ellis’s sister.

Shyri said there was at least one other incident of violence between Zharia and Melanie a few months ago, but police were never called.

Williams was ordered held without bail. She is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 13.

The shooting remains under investigation.

Anyone who saw anything unusual in that area late Friday night is urged to call Waltham police at 781-314-3550.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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