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MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The suspect at the center of a shooting that killed two teens in Guntersville is requesting to defend himself, according to a handwritten letter to the judge.

25-year-old Kevon Yenovi Williams of Georgia is charged with murder in the deaths of 19-year-old Elias Gaspar Escobar and an unnamed 17-year-old male on September 23, 2021, in the parking lot of Taco Bell in Guntersville.

Williams, indicted on the murder charges, has claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

According to Guntersville Police Chief Jim Peterson at the time, both victims were declared dead at the scene. Williams was arrested the following day.

Morgan Taylor Young wasn’t arrested in connection to the shooting until March 2022. Both Williams and Young were charged with two counts of murder, one count of capital murder and first-degree robbery.

Now, according to court documents, Williams is directly asking the judge to allow him to represent himself, along with providing specific opportunities and privileges for an adequate defense in his case.

In his handwritten letter, Williams says that he doesn’t trust any counsel referred by the court:

“I can’t and don’t trust any attorney/counsel referred by the Marshall County because I strongly believe they work with the state against me to interfere with the outcome at my proceeding.”

Marshall Co. Court Filing

Williams is also asking for the court to fund his defense, along with a co-counsel of his choice, saying that there will be things he can’t do “here from in a jail cell.”

Williams’ letter to Judge Abel

Marshall County District Attorney Everette Johnson recently told News 19 that the case has made “normal” progress for a capital case, but the amount of forensic evidence needing to be processed does have an impact.

“[The evidence] has been submitted for analysis/examination,” explained Johnson. “We have not received the results as of yet on these submissions, and until we do, the case will not be ready to be set for trial or further proceedings.”

Young entered a plea of “not guilty” to each of her four charges on May 4, according to court records.

'Taco Bell murders': latest updates for two charged
Kevon Y. Williams (L) and Morgan T. Young (R) (Marshall Co. Sheriff’s Office)

Court documents also state that Young’s age makes her ineligible for youthful offender status in her case, where she faces two charges of murder and one charge of capital murder, along with a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.

You can read the full letter here.

Williams and Young are both expected to be in a Marshall County courtroom on January 3, 2023, for a review hearing.