Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido announced that Al Curtis Williams, 47, of Hazel Park, was sentenced Wednesday, March 12, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury convicted him of First-Degree Premeditated Murder in February 2026.
Williams was sentenced by visiting Judge Edward A. Servitto following the jury’s verdicts on the following charges:
• First-Degree Premeditated Murder — punishable by life without parole
• Carrying a Concealed Weapon — a five-year felony
• Felony-Firearm — a two-year felony, consecutive to the primary charge
For the first-degree murder conviction, Williams was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Michigan Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole, with no credit for time served.
For the carrying a concealed weapon conviction, Williams received a sentence of 24 months to five years, with 445 days of credit for time served.
For the felony-firearm conviction, he was sentenced to 24 months to five years, with 445 days of credit for time served.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Steve Fox and Carmen Rankin prosecuted the case on behalf of The People.
“The sentencing today brings these proceedings to a close. The defendant will spend the remainder of his life in prison. While no sentence can undo the harm that was done, it is my hope that today provides some measure of closure for the family of Brandon Zaner. Their loss is profound, and it is one they will carry with them always,” said Lucido
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on December 21, 2024. Williams engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim, 38-year-old Brandon Zaner of Utica, Michigan, inside a Shell gas station in Warren. Williams left the store and returned shortly afterward, at which time he confronted Zaner, who had walked to a nearby parking lot. A second altercation ensued and Williams fired one round, striking the victim in the chest. Zaner collapsed onto the pavement. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Williams was sentenced by visiting Judge Edward A. Servitto following the jury’s verdicts on the following charges:
• First-Degree Premeditated Murder — punishable by life without parole
• Carrying a Concealed Weapon — a five-year felony
• Felony-Firearm — a two-year felony, consecutive to the primary charge
For the first-degree murder conviction, Williams was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Michigan Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole, with no credit for time served.
For the carrying a concealed weapon conviction, Williams received a sentence of 24 months to five years, with 445 days of credit for time served.
For the felony-firearm conviction, he was sentenced to 24 months to five years, with 445 days of credit for time served.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Steve Fox and Carmen Rankin prosecuted the case on behalf of The People.
“The sentencing today brings these proceedings to a close. The defendant will spend the remainder of his life in prison. While no sentence can undo the harm that was done, it is my hope that today provides some measure of closure for the family of Brandon Zaner. Their loss is profound, and it is one they will carry with them always,” said Lucido
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on December 21, 2024. Williams engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim, 38-year-old Brandon Zaner of Utica, Michigan, inside a Shell gas station in Warren. Williams left the store and returned shortly afterward, at which time he confronted Zaner, who had walked to a nearby parking lot. A second altercation ensued and Williams fired one round, striking the victim in the chest. Zaner collapsed onto the pavement. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
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