Fourteen-year-old Ryan Rogers went for a bike ride on November 15th and was never to return to his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His body was found a day later about two dozen feet from a sidewalk.
He was targeted by a homeless drifter, 39-year old Semmie Lee Williams Jr. who killed him intentionally by stabbing him over and over in the face and head until he died. Williams is a monster. Why did he kill this boy?
Palm Beach Gardens police said they found headphones near the body and were able to obtain DNA evidence that linked the crime to the suspect.
They arrested 39-year-old Semmie Lee Williams Jr. in Miami on Wednesday. Police had a warrant for Williams’ backpack, where they found a bloodied bandana. Analysis of the blood found that both Williams and Rogers contributed to the bloodstains.
“He appears to be a homeless drifter spending most of his time in the streets of Miami,” said Palm Beach Gardens Chief of Police Clint Shannon in a media briefing. Williams has a long criminal record with some violent offenses, including aggravated assault with strangulation.
Police said the attack appeared to be a “completely random act” and that the victim did not know the suspect before the attack.
“He has no ties that we can determine to Palm Beach Gardens or Palm Beach County — none whatsoever,” said Shannon.
“It’s a mystery to us why this man was in our community but we have evidence that places him on the scene and makes him responsible for the murder of this child,” he added.
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