Sir-Kristopher Clayton Marshall
Sir-Kristopher, circa 1977; Age-progression to age 37 (circa 2010)
- Missing Since 07/20/1977
- Missing From Compton, California
- Classification Non-Family Abduction
- Sex Male
- Race Biracial, Black, White
- Date of Birth 09/11/1973 (51)
- Age 3 years old
- Height and Weight 3'0, 37 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A red and white striped t-shirt, brown jeans, a brown belt and blue sneakers.
- Distinguishing Characteristics Biracial (African-American/Caucasian) male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Sir-Kristopher has a four-inch-long scar on his back, a scar above his right eyebrow and scar tissue on both of his feet and ankles. He has a very light complexion, and his hair is reddish-brown with a soft texture and loose curls. His nickname is Turkey Legs. Some accounts refer to him as Christopher Marshall or Sir-Kristopher Clay Marshall.
Details of Disappearance
Sir-Kristopher lived in the 1400 block of Belnick Avenue in Carson, California at the time of his disappearance. He spent the night of July 20, 1977 at a friend's home in Compton, California. Earlene Williams and her children, Ivy Matory, Violet Matory, and Yolanda Williams all lived inside the residence in the 300 block of east 131st Street.
At 4:30 a.m., the house caught fire and burned to the ground. Earlene's body was found inside near the front door; she had been strangled. The children were not in the residence, though.
There was a trail of blood leading from the house down an alley, where it stopped. The bleeding person apparently got into a car there. Authorities determined the fire erupted in the room where all the children slept.
Earlene was estranged from her husband, James Williams, at the time of her death. He is Yolanda's father. They separated after James was charged with child molestation and statutory rape in connection with a 1976 attack on Ivy. He was questioned and released the day after the fire, but arrested for murder the next day when the autopsy results proved Earlene had been a homicide victim.
James was allegedly seen with Yolanda, Sir-Kristopher, Ivy and Violet at a Denny's restaurant in Grapevine, California at 5:30 a.m. on July 21, the day after their house burned down. He was picked up by friends in Riverside, California later that day, without the children.
When first questioned, James said he'd been driving to Bakersfield, California at the time of the fire, but his car broke down and he had to spend the night in it. One of his hands had a bad cut at the time of his arrest; he said he'd injured it trying to repair his car.
In August 1977, James was additionally charged with murdering the four missing children. Authorities stated the three girls were supposed to testify against him in the sexual abuse case, which was scheduled to go to court on July 21, the day before they disappeared.
James was tried twice for murder, but the jury deadlocked both times, and in July 1979, before a third trial could take place, the five murder charges against him were dismissed. He is now deceased.
Sir-Kristopher's mother believes he was placed at MacLaren Hall Children's Center, a temporary children's shelter in El Monte, California, and then placed in foster care and eventually adopted. Her theory has never been verified.
In 2014, Ivy's skeletal remains were found in Corona, California, about an hour's drive east of Compton. The other children have never been located.
Investigating Agency
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office 323-890-5500
Updated 10 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated May 20, 2019; details of disappearance updated.