Man sentenced to 82 years to life for 2016 murder

A 37-year-old man was sentenced to 82 years to life in prison for the murder of one person and the attempted murder of another more than two years ago, according to Contra Costa County prosecutors.

Thomas Williams, 37, was sentenced Friday by Judge Barry Baskin for the slaying of Cynthia Flores-Crose and the attempted murder of Thomas Payne at an Antioch QuikStop store on May 2, 2016.

A jury on July 20 found Williams guilty of first-degree murder with personal use of a gun and premeditated attempted murder with personal use of a gun.

District attorney spokesman Scott Alonso said the killing was caught on video at the QuikStop. Williams shot at Payne and he survived.

Alonso said Williams and Flores-Crose had previously been in a domestic relationship, making the killing a domestic violence death.

Deputy District Attorney Alison Chandler said in a statement, “Domestic violence is a crippling epidemic that escalates to heartbreaking proportions – even murder.”