Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced that a Philadelphia man, Steven M. Williams, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in four murders committed for financial gain. The plea was entered on Tuesday and includes three counts of third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder related to incidents in 2018 and 2019.
Williams, aged 30, is scheduled for sentencing on March 5, 2025. Attorney General Henry emphasized the severity of the crimes by stating, "This defendant callously took lives, for dollars, as a paid killer," further adding that they would seek a sentence ensuring community safety.
The Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit collaborated with the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force in investigating and charging Williams. This case is part of a broader inquiry into contract killings.
The victims identified in this case are William Crawford, killed on September 8, 2018; Jermaine Simmons, killed on February 10, 2019; Richard Isaac, killed on March 25, 2019; and Leslie Carroll, killed on May 4, 2019. These murders occurred across various locations in Philadelphia.
The prosecution of these cases was handled by the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force.