Illinois Man to face murder charges

CHARLESTON -- An Illinois man faces charges for the murder of his wife after her body was located Sunday in Mississippi County.

Clifford Ray Williams Sr., 45, of Ullin, Ill., and formerly of Charleston, is charged with the class A felony murder in the first degree, which is punishable upon conviction by not less than 15 years and up to a life sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections. He is also charged with the unclassified felony of armed criminal action, punishable upon conviction by not less than three years and up to life imprisonment.

Williams was taken into custody shortly after the body of his missing wife, Sylvia Marie Tipler, 45, also of Ullin, was discovered Sunday evening in rural Mississippi County off Highway K near Bird's Point.

Mississippi County coroner Terry Parker said preliminary autopsy results show blunt trauma injury to Tipler's head.

"It's one of the most violent deaths we've had in quite some time," Parker said.

Williams, who is being held without bond at the Mississippi County Detention Center, will be arraigned at 9 a.m. Oct. 22 before Judge T. Lynn Brown.