Known to his loved ones as Tony, Antonio D. Williams was a funny man with a smile that could light up any room. The 38-year-old Black man, a former student of Saks High School, was a loving father to six children and was known as someone who had worked his entire life.
On the evening of Sunday, August 8, 2021, his life was tragically cut short in Anniston, Alabama. Around 7:00 p.m., police were called to the Constantine Apartments on the 300 block of Elm Street after a report of a person being shot. Officers arrived to find Williams on the ground near a parking lot, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported by ambulance to Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators learned that a physical altercation between Williams and another man had occurred just before the shooting. Police believed the dispute escalated, leading to the fatal shot being fired.
The investigation soon led to a suspect, 56-year-old Larryl Jerod Gaston, also of Anniston. Gaston was located by investigators and taken into custody without incident.
Gaston was booked into the Calhoun County Jail and charged with the murder of Antonio Williams. The case then proceeded through the judicial system. In April 2024, a trial was held in Calhoun County. After hearing the evidence presented, a jury found Larryl Gaston not guilty of the murder charge.
Following the acquittal in April 2024, the homicide of Antonio Williams remains unsolved.
