WTOL.com, Toledo's News Leader, News 11 | Toledo Man Charged With A 4th Murder

Toledo Man Charged With A 4th Murder

TOLEDO -- Police believe they have solved a murder that dates back to 1994. On Monday, prosecutors charged Prentiss Williams with another killing.

In the summer of 1994, 29-year-old Shelley Johnson was found murdered in central Toledo. Almost 10 years later, prosecutors say Prentiss Williams is confessing to the crime. 

Williams was only 15 years old at the time, so prosecutors filed the murder charge in juvenile court. Shelly Johnson was shot to death, and her body found inside a Ford Bronco. Prosecutors say Williams shot Johnson because she planned to tell police about another murder that Williams committed, the murder of Robert Hendricks, who was also killed in 1994. Police say they did not have the evidence they needed to charge Prentiss Williams with the 1994 shootings.

Then last year, he was arrested for two other murders: the shooting deaths of Carmita Dickey and Jonathan Booker. Then, a couple of weeks ago, another shocking twist: Prentiss Williams got his hands on a gun, while he was in jail and fired a couple of shots. No one was hurt.

Police say after the jail incident, they interviwed Prentiss Williams and learned he was responsible for the 1994 killing of Shelley Johnson

Williams is now scheduled to appear in juvenile court, on Wednesday, for the Johnson murder. The case is expected to be transferred to common pleas court. As for the incident at the jail, investigators say Prentiss Williams got the gun after a counselor brought in a package with the weapon inside. The counselor resigned and was charged with bribery.

Posted 7:00 p.m. Monday, November 10th
vfiorello@wtol.com