Man kills three people, then orders others to dismember the bodies in Ohio, feds say
An Ohio man was found guilty of 16 charges after officials say he killed three people, then ordered others to dismember and bury their bodies.
Larry J. Williams Jr., 43, was convicted of murder related to drug trafficking crime, robbery, three counts of murder related to crime of violence, two counts of murder of a witness, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and other charges, according to a Dec. 3 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
McClatchy News reached out to Williams’ attorney, but she did not wish to comment on the case.
In 2018, Williams solicited the help of others to plan a robbery of drug dealers, according to prosecutors.
On June 27, 2018, Williams and the others went to a home in Columbus to rob a resident of marijuana and money, officials said. However, during the robbery, Williams killed another man at the home, 23-year-old Connor Reynolds, prosecutors said.
In August, Williams killed two others, 52-year-old Henry Watson and 48-year-old Tera Pennington, according to officials.
He killed the two because they had knowledge of Reynolds’ death and he wanted to prevent them from serving as witnesses, officials said.
“Williams then instructed individuals to clean the crime scene with bleach and other chemicals,” officials said. “He directed others to dismember and remove the bodies from the crime scene and bury the victims’ remains at a different location.”
Officials said Williams also sold drugs out of a home and allowed people with substance use disorders to use narcotics there, resulting in multiple overdoses.
“We hope this verdict brings closure to the victims’ families and serves as a significant step towards justice for our Ohio communities,” Homeland Security Investigations Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar said in the release. “Drug traffickers will go to any lengths to further their violent enterprise, but thankfully Larry Williams’ crimes have come to an end.”
Williams faces life in prison.
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Man kills three people, then orders others to dismember the bodies in Ohio, feds say."
