Office of the State Attorney

PRESS RELEASE

July 26, 2023      

         

State of Florida v. Joseph J. Williams Jr.                                                                               

DOB: 09/16/1996

Case Number: 2021 305522 CFDB

 

Daytona Beach Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder

DAYTONA BEACH – After a two-day trial and only 34 minutes of deliberation this morning, a Volusia County jury found defendant Joseph Williams Jr. guilty as charged of Second-Degree Murder.

On October 28, 2021, Williams was verbally arguing with the victim outside a marketplace on Weaver Street in Daytona Beach. They were quickly broken up by a witness and the victim went into the store.

During this time, the defendant armed himself with a knife and returned to the marketplace to wait for the victim. Once the victim came out of the store, the two immediately began taking swings at each other. Williams then stabbed the victim in the side with the knife, which caused him to fall to the ground.

After realizing how badly he injured the victim, the defendant ran away from the scene. However, part of the incident was captured on cell phone video and multiple witnesses were able to identify Williams.

The victim died from his injuries at the hospital. The defendant was on the run for several months but was eventually arrested by the Daytona Beach Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.

“The value of human life didn’t mean much to the defendant – now he may spend the rest of his behind bars,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said of the case.

The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorneys Mark Interlicchio and Nancy Simpson successfully tried the case for the state. The Honorable Elizabeth Blackburn presided over the case and will pronounce sentence at a later date. Williams faces up to life in prison for the crime.

 

For more information contact: 

Haley Harrison | Multimedia Specialist/PIO | Office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Florida's Seventh Judicial Circuit | SAOPIO@SAO7.org