CASE SOLVED

By Eloria Newell James, community@laurelleadercall.com

April 30, 2009 10:56 am

— WAYNE COUNTY — Four people have been arrested by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation charged in connection with the March 6, 2008 murder of Janie Cooley Broadway Williams.
Williams was murdered around 1 a.m., that Thursday morning inside her home on Red Brown Drive in Clara near Waynesboro.
Officials reported that Williams and her husband, Ken Williams, had just arrived home and were the only people in the home at the time a single bullet entered the house through a kitchen window striking the woman.
“The shot came through the kitchen window as Williams stood in front of her refrigerator,” Investigator Ricky Lott with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) released during the investigation. “A high power rifle was used to fire the fatal shot. “
Williams and her husband co-owned the High Noon Bar in Waynesboro, as well as a flower shop.
Wayne County Sheriff John Farrior announced during a press conference Wednesday to a packed-room of family members and friends that four people have now been charged in connection with the local businesswoman’s death.
Those arrested are: 36-year-old Angela Hope Busby, 31-year-old Jomorris Thornton, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, and 20-year-old Theaus White.
The sheriff said each of the suspects have been charged with one count of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
Farrior said prior to these arrests, approximately 70 people were interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department and MBI during the more-than-year-long investigation.
“We wanted this (the arrests) to happen 418 days ago,” Farrior said at the press conference held at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department. “People were afraid for their lives. They were afraid to talk to me, the sheriff.”
However Wednesday, Farrior said the break in the case came recently when one of the three individuals arrested in Perry County in an unrelated robbery case began disclosing information to Perry County Sheriff Jimmy Dale Smith and Investigator Jim Kelly.
Farrior said Sheriff Smith contacted him at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the MBI.
“They planned the murder,” the sheriff said about Williams’ death. “The motive was money.”
He said the investigation revealed that the suspects knew Williams and her husband and the motive for the murder was related to rental property owned by the victim and her husband.
Farrior said Thornton and Johnson are believed to have gotten dropped off at the road to Williams’ home by Busby. The sheriff said Thornton has admitted that he was the one who fired the weapon that killed Williams.
“They got the weapon and hid the weapon south of there,” the sheriff said. “They ran back to the road ... They walked on (Hwy.) 63 and got picked up. ... They went to Hattiesburg and the vehicle ran out of gas. However, they had already gotten rid of the weapon.”
Later Wednesday, Farrior, along with Wayne County Sheriff’s Department Investigators Mike Mozingo and Kevin Stevens, met Choctaw County, Alabama Sheriff James Lovette at a pond located on Blue Dirt Road in Alabama to search for the murder weapon.
Farrior said officers obtained information during the investigation that Busby and Thornton discarded the rifle used in the murder in the pond at this location.
About 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, Investigator Mozingo recovered a rifle believed to be the murder weapon.
Farrior said the Sheriff’s Department also has other evidence.
Ken Williams, her husband at the time of the shooting, said Janie’s death “was stupid. ... there was no reason for them to do this.”
Members of her family said they believe there’s more to her death than what’s being revealed.
Busy, Thornton and White had their initial court appearance in Wayne County Justice Court in Waynesboro on Wednesday.
Wayne County Justice Court Judge Charles Britton set bond for Busby and Thornton at $1 million each for the murder charge and $250,000 for the conspiracy to commit murder. White’s bond was set at $250,000.
Johnson is expected to appear before Judge Britton Thursday, where his bond should be set.
Farrior said the murder investigation has also cleared an armed robbery in the Sunlight community in Wayne County and those charges are forthcoming.
“It’s an ongoing investigation,” the sheriff said. “We are still working on the case.”
Wayne County officials said the murder case is expected to be presented to the Wayne County Grand Jury, which will meet in June.

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