What happened to Serena Williams' sister's killer? What we know about Crips gang member Robert Maxfield

During the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, tennis icon Serena Williams made a surprise appearance, dancing briefly during Kendrick Lamar's performance of Not Like Us. This moment garnered significant attention, as Serena Williams executed the 'Crip Walk,' a dance with origins in the Compton-based Crips gang.

Given that Serena Williams' half-sister, Yetunde Price, was tragically killed in 2003 by Robert Maxfield, a member of the Southside Crips, some viewers found the dance choice controversial.

L.A. County prosecutors stated that in 2003, Robert Maxfield allegedly fired an assault weapon at Yetunde Price’s SUV, which was parked. The shooting took place on East Greenleaf Boulevard, near a suspected drug house.

According to reports from the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, and PEOPLE, Price was struck in the back of the head, just about a mile from the playground where her sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, first honed their tennis skills. The prosecutors argued that the attack was an act of retaliation, as Maxfield mistakenly believed Price’s boyfriend was affiliated with a rival gang.

Critics argue that Serena's performance of the Crip Walk could be seen as glamorizing gang culture, especially considering Williams' personal history. However, supporters view her dance as a tribute to her roots in Compton, celebrating her journey from a challenging environment to global success.

This isn't the first time Serena Williams has faced scrutiny for performing the Crip Walk; she previously did so after winning a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, which also sparked debate.

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More about Venus and Serena Williams' sister Yetunde Price's killer

Robert Maxfield, a known member of the Southside Crips gang, was responsible for the fatal shooting of Yetunde Price, the half-sister of Venus and Serena Williams.

On the night of September 14, 2003, Yetunde was riding as a passenger in a white GMC Yukon Denali driven by her boyfriend, Rolland Wormley. As they passed near a suspected Crips gang drug house in Compton just after midnight, Maxfield opened fire with an AK-47, unleashing about a dozen rounds. Yetunde was struck in the back of the head, while Wormley, who authorities believed was the intended target, survived without injury.

Investigators later revealed that Wormley had a criminal history, including convictions for drug dealing and gun offenses, and was on parole at the time of the shooting. He was also alleged to be affiliated with the Mac Mafia Crips, a rival gang.

Maxfield was arrested and charged with Yetunde’s murder. He pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in 2006 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, after serving only 12 years, he was released on parole in 2018.

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Who was Yetunde Price?

Yetunde Price was the eldest half-sister of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. She was a registered nurse, a beauty salon owner, and also worked part-time as an assistant to her famous sisters.

Born to Oracene Price and Yusef Rasheed, Yetunde was raised alongside her sisters Lyndrea and Isha by their mother and stepfather, Richard Williams, who later had Venus and Serena. She was known for her intelligence, graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class. In a 2007 interview with People Magazine, when asked about Yetunde, Serena Williams said:

“still hard for me to talk about. Yetunde and I were so close; she changed my diapers... But I finally came to an acceptance of things.”

Yetunde was a mother of three children—her eldest son, Jeffrey, was 11 when she was killed. She had him with Jeffrey Johnson, whom she left after he was jailed for assaulting a police officer. Later, she married Byron Bobbitt, with whom she had two more children, Justus and Jair. However, Yetunde endured domestic abuse in that relationship, filing a police report in 1997 detailing threats and physical assault. With support from her family, she left Bobbitt, finalized their divorce in 2000, and went on to open a beauty salon in Lakewood, California.

Tragically, in September 2003, Yetunde was shot and killed in Compton at the age of 31. Her death was a devastating loss for the Williams family, and her memory continues to be honored, including through the Yetunde Price Resource Center, which Venus and Serena Williams established to help those affected by violence and trauma. The release of the movie King Richard tells the story of the Williams family and includes Yetunde’s story.