Akron man faces trials in 3 murder cases from 2023, including East student, I-77 driver
When a U.S. Marshals task force took Ahmere Williams into custody Sept. 7 as a suspect in the August shooting death of an East High School football player, the details of his alleged trail of deadly violence were only beginning to emerge.
Now, prosecutors have charged the 20-year-old Akron man as a key suspect in a total of three killings across four months in 2023, including an August shooting on Interstate 77 in Green and an April shooting on the outskirts of downtown Akron.
Williams, who was initially identified by authorities as Ahmere Morris (Morris is part of his middle name), is represented by attorney Noah Munyer in the three cases — with an arraignment set for Wednesday in the April 12 slaying of Tyson Arnold.
Williams was already incarcerated at the Summit County Jail when he was charged in November in the I-77 case and again in January in Arnold's shooting.
Akron police said after Williams was arrested and charged with the Aug. 16 killing of 17-year-old Antenio Louis, investigators established possible connections to the two earlier deaths.
"Detectives developed additional information and evidence that linked him to the crimes," Capt. Michael Miller said.
Here is a look at where each of those cases stand:
Tyson Arnold, 24
Arnold, 24, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest on April 12 in the Ohio & Erie Canal behind an apartment complex on Fleming Drive.
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More than a dozen shell casings were recovered from the scene. Two vehicles were also struck, Akron police said.
Williams, who was indicted Feb. 9, faces one count of murder and felonious assault with 3-year firearm specifications — both first-degree felonies — in Arnold's death, according to court documents.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Michael will preside over the trial.
Marquise Banks, 23
On Aug. 3, nearly four months after Arnold's death, 23-year-old Marquise Banks was driving on I-77 South in Green when a pickup truck drove beside him at about 6:15 p.m. Ohio Department of Transportation cameras captured a figure leaning out of the truck and firing multiple rounds into his vehicle.
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Banks' vehicle swerved before it careened across the grass median and crashed into a Mercedes, leaving its driver with minor injuries. Banks was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Nov. 17, police charged Williams as a co-defendant in Banks' death. Also charged are 18-year-old Sirvonte Suggs and Giovanni Porter, 23 of Texas.
Williams is charged with two counts of murder, aggravated murder and felonious assault. Each have firearm specifications. The trial has been assigned to Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kelly McLaughlin.
Antenio Louis, 17
Less than two weeks after the I-77 shooting, another fatal shooting shook the Akron area.
East High School student Antenio Louis was on his way to football practice at about 4 p.m. on Aug. 16. A 23-year-old man had just picked him up.
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A couple of blocks later, near East Glenwood Avenue and Dan Street, another vehicle pulled in front of them and opened fire, killing Louis and wounding the driver.
Williams was charged on Jan. 2 in this case. A 17-year-old also was charged.
Williams faces aggravated murder, murder and felonious assault charges with a firearm and criminal gang activity specifications. He appeared via video from the jail Tuesday for a pretrial hearing.
This trial has been assigned to Summit County Common Pleas Judge Alison Breaux.
Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Authorities link Ahmere Williams to 3 killings in Akron area in 2023
