Bio

Laron Ronald Williams was born on October 5, 1948, in Louisiana. Much of his early life is not well-documented. Some prison records indicate that he was one of ten siblings, with four sisters and six brothers. His father served in the United States Army. Williams claimed that his father was often away during his childhood due to military service, particularly in Korea. After the war, the family returned to Louisiana.

Williams later mentioned in an interview that he was born outside of the United States. He stated that he attended high school in a town he called "Newardton," but there are no records of such a place existing in Louisiana. After moving to Southern California, he completed high school there and attended college for a year and a half, studying psychology. However, he did not provide details about the college he attended.

In the 1970s, Williams drifted around different parts of the country. Eventually, he settled permanently in Chicago, Illinois. Some prison records later listed his birthplace as "Newardton," Louisiana. However, historians confirmed that no such place exists, and it is probable that he was actually born in New Orleans.

By 1981, prison records indicated that both of his parents had died.

Murder Story

Laron Ronald Williams was convicted of murder in 1977 for killing a young sex worker named Terra Wedlaw in Nashville, Tennessee. After the murder, he was linked to other similar killings of women in the area. While Williams awaited trial, two additional victims were found dead, both showing signs of strangulation and other similarities to Wedlaw’s case. Authorities suspected Williams might be involved in these murders and were also investigating him for other cases in different cities.

In 1981, while serving his sentence in prison, Williams escaped. Shortly after his escape, he killed a police officer named Clarence P. Cox and an assistant pastor named Rev. John Jay Jackson. These murders triggered a massive manhunt, which ended with his capture just days later.

Following his arrest, Williams faced separate trials for both murders. He was found guilty and sentenced to death for each murder. His execution was delayed due to appeals, and during this time, he maintained his innocence in interviews.

On July 8, 1985, while in prison, Williams was attacked by other inmates. They seriously injured him, and he later died from his wounds in the hospital. Two of the inmates involved in the attack were convicted of his murder but had their sentences reduced on appeal.