Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams Accused Of A Driver’s Murder

A Homicide by Jayson Williams was portrayed in the new season of Oxygen’s Accident, Suicide, or Murder.

The episode explores mysterious circumstances when the reason for the victim’s death may not have been as clear as initially thought. 

The season premiere on November 26 examines the apparent suicide of Gus Christofi, the limo driver of NBA player Jayson Williams, which prompted a police investigation.

Gus was found dead in Jayson’s residence during a gathering in 2001, and later, attendees informed 9-1-1 responders that the chauffeur had shot himself at the location. 

What occurred to Jayson William’s driver? Did Jayson cause his death?

The 55-year-old chauffeur Costas “Gus” Christofi, hailed from Washington, New Jersey.

He was shot in the chest early on February 14, 2002, at the residence of former New Jersey Nets basketball player Jayson Williams, according to a 2004 article in The New York Times. 

At 3:28 a.m., Christofi was discovered in Williams’ bedroom and later pronounced deceased.

The 911 caller indicated that a male at the property had shot himself, which is what witnesses told the police upon their initial arrival at the scene, according to the 911 recording. 

However, the narrative soon changed, and witnesses began to acknowledge that Williams had been in possession of the firearm.

The Harlem Globetrotters and other acquaintances of Williams, including Christofi, supposedly compensated him to transport them to a nearby restaurant while Williams chauffeured another group. 

Upon entering the restaurant, the men accrued a substantial bill for alcohol. Later, Christofi accompanied a portion of the group back to Williams’ residence, where he was invited inside.

Williams invited his acquaintances to view his collection of firearms in the master bedroom of his residence as the night progressed. 

According to the prosecution, shortly thereafter, he allegedly brandished a Browning 12-gauge shotgun upward, pointing it at Christofi. When the firearm discharged, lethal buckshot entered the chauffeur’s abdomen.

Later that evening, Williams proceeded by inviting his friends to observe his array of firearms in the master bedroom of his mansion.

Shortly after, as per the accusation, he retrieved a Browning 12-gauge shotgun and aimed it at Christofi. The gunshot from the weapon penetrated the chauffeur’s abdomen and proved fatal.

According to certain witnesses, Williams began altering the scene almost immediately to make it appear as though Christofi had taken his own life while the others were elsewhere in the residence. 

Williams purportedly changed attire, cleaned the shotgun, and repositioned it after jumping into a pool to cleanse himself. Additionally, they assert that Williams coerced them into deceiving the authorities.

Williams was taken into custody

Some witnesses contend that Williams immediately tampered with the scene to make it seem as though Christofi had committed suicide while the others were elsewhere in the house.

Williams was indicted for second-degree reckless manslaughter on February 25. He also faced additional charges of evidence tampering. Williams was subsequently freed on bail, but the investigation continued.

The high-profile trial commenced in January 2004. On April 30, 2004, the jury found Jayson Williams culpable for concealing the crime, but they could not reach a verdict on the charge of reckless manslaughter.

As both sides prepared for a retrial, six years elapsed. On January 11, 2010, Williams entered a guilty plea for aggravated assault. 

He was incarcerated for 18 months before being released on April 13, 2012.