Khari Williams was arraigned Thursday on charges of first-degree murder while armed, and two related weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Angelo Payne. Williams pleaded innocent to all charges, and a status hearing has been scheduled for September 4.
Payne was found December 30, 2012 at around 12:00 a.m. on the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Nine days later Williams, 18, was arrested, and held on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Payne’s death.
Charging documents state police arrested Williams after witnesses said he led Payne into an alley to confront him over PCP that Williams thought he had stolen. Witnesses in the case told police when Payne could not explain why the drugs were missing fast enough, Williams shot him. Police never found the weapon.
At a preliminary hearing in February, Metropolitan Police Detective Anthony McGee testified that one witness told police that Williams later talked about the shooting saying, “I mugged that n–. I shot that n–,” Williams said according to the witness.
Williams rejected a previous plea offer that would have gave him a maximum of 18 years in prison on a second-degree murder charge.
A copy of the indictment is below.
