Very little is publicly documented about William Jones’s early life, but by the time he was 27, he had already served prison time for a violent crime. He had been convicted in a prior armed carjacking case and was on post-release supervision at the time of the 2017 murder. Despite having recently re-entered society, Jones quickly became the center of one of the most disturbing and senseless murders in recent Cleveland history.

Details about his upbringing, education, or mental health history have not been widely reported. However, Jones’s actions and statements during and after the murder suggest possible personal, racial, and political motivations. His courtroom allocution statement mentioned prominent names like Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice, reflecting themes of perceived racial injustice. Despite this, no clear evidence emerged that directly tied his act to an organized group or ideology, though officials did explore the case for possible hate crime elements.

On the morning of December 2, 2017, in Cleveland, Ohio, William Jones walked into the lobby of Euclid Beach Villa Apartments, where Jared Plesec, a 21-year-old Salvation Army worker and Bible study leader, was standing. Jared was holding a Bible in his hands, dressed in his usual uniform and known around the neighborhood as a kind, devoted Christian who mentored local youth and promoted nonviolence.

Without warning, Jones pulled out a firearm and shot Jared in the head at point-blank range, killing him instantly. The entire incident occurred in the building's lobby and was witnessed by a resident who captured part of the aftermath on Facebook Live. As Jones fled, he yelled political and racial statements such as "F* Trump!"**, "A life for a life!", and "I did it fo y’all, man."

Following the murder, Jones went on a violent 63-minute crime spree across Cleveland. Though specific details of the spree were not publicly detailed in full, his actions put the city on high alert until his capture. He was quickly arrested and charged with aggravated murder, attempted murder, felonious assault, and burglary.

On December 11, 2017, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor stated the murder appeared racially motivated, and the FBI joined in investigating whether the crime met federal hate crime statutes.

Jones ultimately avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty on April 17, 2018. During sentencing, he read a prepared statement addressing racial injustice, referencing Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and the Timothy Russell/Malissa Williams shooting. He offered a short apology to Jared’s family, but followed it with remarks questioning whether Black lives were valued equally under the law. The sentencing judge, unmoved, replied, “All lives matter,” and condemned Jones’s attempt to justify the murder of an innocent man.

Jones was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

The community mourned the death of Jared Plesec, who was widely known for his positive influence, deep faith, and love for youth ministry. His death shocked and saddened not only his church and neighborhood but many across the state. In 2019, Jared’s family filed a lawsuit against the apartment complex for alleged security failures, pointing to a pattern of violence in the area and lack of safeguards.