Kenneth Williams

A loud argument in a duplex on a winter night in Lafayette, Indiana, ended in the shooting death of 34-year-old Kenneth Williams. The Black male was killed on Saturday, January 27, 2018, leaving a case that has since gone cold and a suspect who seemingly vanished.

The incident unfolded at approximately 11:50 p.m. inside a residence at 1619 Alabama Street, a residential area near downtown Lafayette. Neighbors later told reporters they heard people yelling as they were going to sleep but didn't think much of it, as loud voices were common in the area near a liquor store and a Dollar General. One neighbor, however, recalled seeing a woman with three children walking toward a nearby Walgreens, crying out, "Help! Help! My babies!" Moments later, the street was filled with the flashing lights of police cars and ambulances.

When officers from the Lafayette Police Department arrived, they found Kenneth Williams inside the duplex with a gunshot wound. Paramedics rushed him to IU Health Arnett Hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival. An autopsy later determined he died from a single gunshot to the chest. Investigators learned that at the time of the shooting, there were two other adults and five children inside the home.

Through witness interviews conducted at the scene, detectives quickly identified a person of interest: 32-year-old William Sutherland. Police said Sutherland, who was originally from the Chicago area, was friends with the woman who rented the duplex. The shooting reportedly occurred after an argument broke out between Sutherland and Williams. The nature of their dispute was not publicly detailed by law enforcement.

The morning after the shooting, the Lafayette Police Department released a photo of Sutherland, warning the public that he was considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. He was described as having a distinctive tattoo on the right side of his neck that reads "MOB." Despite an immediate and thorough search of the area by police, Sutherland was not found. In the days that followed, police reported no sightings of him.

The investigation into Kenneth Williams' death was extensive, but William Sutherland was never apprehended. No charges were ever filed in the case because the primary suspect disappeared. The trail for Sutherland went cold, leaving Williams' loved ones without answers and his killer at large.

As of the latest reports, the murder of Kenneth Williams remains an open and unsolved case with the Lafayette Police Department. Authorities have not released any new information or identified any other potential suspects in the years since the shooting. Anyone with information about the crime or the whereabouts of William Sutherland is urged to contact the Lafayette Police Department at 765-807-1200 or the anonymous WeTip hotline at 800-78-CRIME.