Katt Williams Bodyguard Faces Murder Charge After Grand Jury Indictment

Tranell Williams, Katt Williams’ longtime security guard, faces first-degree murder charges after a grand jury indicts him in comedian Reggie Carroll’s August 2025 shooting death.

Katt Williams security guard Tranell Williams faces first-degree murder charges after a grand jury indictment Thursday in connection with the August 2025 shooting death of comedian Reggie Carroll in Southaven, Mississippi.

DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton secured the indictment, though Williams maintains his actions were justified.

The case centers on a roommate dispute that escalated into violence inside a home leased by a company owned by the comedy icon.

Williams, who’s worked as a longtime security professional for Katt, claims he acted in self-defense when Carroll allegedly pulled weapons on him multiple times during their three-month living arrangement.

According to WREG, Williams stated that Carroll repeatedly threatened him with firearms, and he recorded several of these violent interactions as evidence.

“I ran 10 times,” Williams told reporters, describing his attempts to escape confrontations before the fatal August incident.

The victim, Reggie Carroll, was a 52-year-old Baltimore-born comedian and veteran who’d appeared on Katt’s Heaven on Earth Tour. Carroll had been kicked out of Katt’s mansion and was placed in the Southaven residence with Williams.

Court records from Maryland show Carroll was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, yet he allegedly had access to weapons during the dispute.

Williams, by contrast, holds a valid concealed weapons permit in Mississippi.

Williams claims Carroll was using crystal meth and molly pills, behavior he witnessed firsthand during their time together.

He’s stated that the indictment actually benefits his defense strategy, as it grants him subpoena power to obtain toxicology reports that could support his self-defense claim.

Released on a $500,000 bond and fitted with an ankle monitor, Williams awaits trial. According to WREG, Williams has prepared extensively for this moment, believing the evidence will vindicate him.

Williams’ legal team is expected to present the recorded evidence of Carroll’s violent behavior and the toxicology findings once they’re obtained through the discovery process.

Related