HARDWICK – Caledonia Superior Court has ordered a lower, trial court to hold a bail hearing and establish conditions for the release of a Morrisville man held without bail since his August arrest.
In August, Michael A. Williams was arrested and charged with the murder of Hardwick resident Tina Daigle. Williams was taken into police custody, pleading not guilty in Caledonia County Superior Court in St. Johnsbury to charges of aggravated domestic assault and second degree murder in the killing of Tina Daigle, age 38, who authorities say was strangled to death.
Daigle was killed in Caledonia County on June 19, according to state police. Her body was discovered on the side of Vt. Route 14 in Woodbury.
Claire Burns, interim Caledonia County state’s attorney, argued during the August 27 court hearing for Williams to be held without bail.
“The weight of the evidence, the state contends, is great,” Burns told Judge Michael Kainen. “In this instance, we have a 17-page affidavit detailing roughly two months of thorough, consistent investigation undertaken by the Vermont State Police.”
Williams has a previous conviction for aggravated domestic assault involving a different woman that resulted in a 10-year prison sentence, Burns said. “He was found guilty of having choked a girlfriend, an eerily similar factual pattern to this instance,” Burns said.
Attorney Brandon Sheffert, representing WIlliams, opposed the prosecutor’s request to hold his client in custody without bail. Sheffert said Williams had lengthy ties to Vermont and was not a risk of flight.
Williams has been held without option for bail since his arrest August 19. However, on December 16, Caledonia Superior Court ordered the lower court to allow the release of Williams subject to a bail review hearing.
Editor’s note: Some missing text was added in the first paragraph on December 25.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
