A man was arrested on Wednesday for last month’s stabbing death of a 14-year-old Florida boy whose body was found a day after his disappearance.
Miami police have charged Semmie Lee Williams, 39, with first-degree murder with a weapon. The homeless drifter is accused of killing Ryan Rogers, who vanished from his Palm Beach Gardens home on November 15 and was found fatally stabbed three miles from his home, near Interstate 95, the next day, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Authorities believe Williams killed Rogers near where his body was found on November 16. Palm Beach Gardens police Chief Clint Shannon said Williams has no known connection to the area.
The Miami Herald reported that Williams’ DNA linked him to the crime. The news outlet located the murder suspect’s purported YouTube page — a collection of videos accusing seemingly random people of “gang stalking,” child endangerment, and police misconduct.
According to the Herald, Williams’ YouTube videos placed him in the vicinity of Palm Beach Gardens at the time of Rogers’ murder. They reportedly also helped investigators track his whereabouts prior to his arrest.
The Herald also reported that Williams was initially questioned but not arrested because he was committed to a hospital under the state’s Baker Act. The law allows for someone to be involuntarily committed if they are deemed a danger to themself or others.
Shannon said a “chance encounter” between Rogers and Williams resulted in the teen’s death, but he did not provide specifics regarding what that interaction entailed.
According to police, Rogers vanished after riding his bike away from home. WPLG reported that his bicycle was found on the ground near his body.
Williams reportedly has a lengthy criminal history which includes arrests for battery and aggravated assault.
Despite this, Shannon said they do not know the motive in this case.
He added, “The incident itself appears to be a completely random act.”
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[Featured image: Ryan Rogers/Facebook; Semmie Lee Williams/Palm Beach Gardens Police Department]
