Robert E. Williams (October 14, 1936 – December 2, 1997) was an American spree killer who, in August 1977, killed three women: one in Iowa and two in Nebraska.

Both Williams and his siblings claimed their father was a violent alcoholic who abused his wife and children.

McGarry lived in a northeast Lincoln duplex near UNL's East Campus with another single mother, 25-year-old Catherine Brooks.

[7] McGarry was dressed in her housecoat while Brooks was naked, with evidence showing she had been sexually assaulted.

[6][7] That same day, Williams went to the home of another woman he knew in Lincoln whom he threatened with a gun and held hostage for six hours.

Rowe's body was found around noon on the same day by her husband, Wayne, and an Iowa State Patrolman.

Billings was kidnapped from a parking lot in Saint Paul before she was raped, shot twice, and thrown from her vehicle.

[8] Police apprehended Williams in the early morning hours after he attempted to jump onto a freight train.

[14] On June 30, 1978, Williams was sentenced to death in the electric chair in Nebraska for the murders of Catherine Brooks and Patricia McGarry.

[17] On December 2, 1997, Williams was executed in the electric chair at the Nebraska State Penitentiary for the rape and murder of Catherine Brooks.

As he was strapped into the electric chair he smiled and reportedly blew kisses to friends who were witnessing the execution.

Witnesses reported that smoke appeared from the right side of Williams' head and on his left knee area on the first and third jolts of electricity.

Williams' death warrant went into effect one minute after midnight on December 2, however, prison officials decided to hold off the execution until later in the day to avoid drunken disturbances from large crowds that had happened at the two previous executions from pro and anti-death penalty supporters.

Witnesses to the execution reported that Williams was smiling throughout the entire ordeal and his demeanor was described as calm and almost cheerful, which set everyone in attendance at ease.

Brooks' brother, Stephen Rada, said he did not want to discuss his family's position on capital punishment or on Williams' impending execution.

Linda Ode, a friend of McGarry, said only God could know whether the supposed positive change in Williams was genuine.