An Ohio resident, Larry J. “J Streets” Williams Jr., 43, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in a complex criminal conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, two of whom were dismembered, with their remains scattered across the state. Williams was found guilty on all 16 charges against him on Tuesday, following a three-week trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson in the Southern District of Ohio.
In 2018, Williams was implicated in a plot to rob a drug dealer of marijuana and cash. However, the plan did not unfold as expected. Williams was not the orchestrator of the scheme, but was enlisted to carry out the violent acts that would secure the stolen cash and drugs, which were intended for resale.
During the robbery in June 2018, Williams killed Connor Reynolds, 23, who was not the intended target of the robbery but was a resident of the house where the crime took place. Reynolds’ death left a witness behind. Consequently, in August 2018, Williams murdered Henry Watson, 52, to prevent him from sharing information with law enforcement. However, this murder left another witness, leading Williams to kill Tera Pennington, 48.
Williams, who had gained some authority within the criminal group, ordered his accomplices to clean the second crime scene with bleach and other chemicals. He then instructed them to dismember and dispose of the bodies, burying them in various locations.
Following the cleanup, the second crime scene, a small house on Stevens Avenue in Columbus, became a hub for drug activity. Williams controlled the house, selling fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Drug users were permitted to use their substances in the house, leading to several overdoses, which were treated with Narcan by co-conspirators.
Eight individuals were initially charged in February 2021, with four of them facing charges related to the dismemberment and relocation of the last two victims. A superseding indictment in September 2021 added five more defendants. To date, seven co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges in the extensive case.
Williams was convicted of three counts of murder related to a crime of violence, two counts of witness murder, and various counts related to drug trafficking, robbery, conspiracy to destroy evidence, obstruction of justice, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar expressed hope that the verdict would bring closure to the victims’ families and serve as a significant step towards justice for Ohio communities, marking the end of Larry Williams’ criminal activities.