March 23, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Limmie Curry was sentenced today in Department Four of Humboldt Superior Court on charges stemming from the death of William Reid in February 2010. Present for the sentencing was William Reid’s sister, Marilyn Reid who came from New York to participate in the sentencing hearing.
During late 2009 through early 2010, Eddie Lee and his girlfriend lived with Mr. Reid on his property off of Three Creeks Road. Mr. Lee introduced the victim to Limmie Curry during the first week of February 2010. Following that meeting, Mr. Reid’s family did not hear from the victim again. After the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department located Mr. Reid’s remains buried in multiple graves around the property, both Lee and Curry were charged with the murder of Mr. Reid.
Each defendant maintained the other was responsible for the death. In the two weeks after the homicide Lee spent thousands of dollars purchasing items such as a large screen TV which was brought to Reid’s home where Lee and Curry had a Super Bowl Party. Curry, during a call to his mother just hours after Reid’s death, told his mother he had just acquired property in Blue Lake, CA.
Lee was acquitted of all charges in the fall of 2014. At a separate trial for Curry, the jury deadlocked and was unable to reach a verdict on the murder charge. Curry ultimately pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and being armed with a weapon in the commission of that offense and agreed to serve the maximum penalty of 12 years. That sentence was imposed today in court and must be served at 85% prior to being paroled. This constitutes a felony strike offense.
Marilyn Reid read two statements before Judge Cissna at the sentencing hearing this afternoon. The first from Mr. Reid’s niece describing Reid’s loving connection to her and the impact his untimely death had on her and her family. Ms. Reid then read her statement to the Court describing the pain and anguish her family has endured, not only due to the untimely death of William Reid, but because of what happened after his death. It is believed that Curry and Lee put Reid’s body on a burn pile located on the property after he was shot to death.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kelly Neel and the defense attorney was Casey Russo.