Columbus, OH- A tragic incident unfolded in Ohio where a mother’s violent actions resulted in the death of her own son. The 45-year-old woman’s attempt to harm him was stopped by several individuals, leading to a fatal shooting.
A sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years has been ordered for Laquandra Williams by Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard E. Berens. This decision comes after the slaying of Jahaad Hughes, as revealed by court records.
Berens issued the sentence following Williams’ agreement with prosecutors, where she admitted guilt to one count of murder and one count of assault in relation to her son’s tragic passing earlier this year. Her jury trial was set to start on Aug. 13, 2024.
“No sentence imposed by the court will fill the void left by the senseless murder of Jahaad Hughes at his mother’s hand,” Fairfield County Prosecutor Kyle Witt said in a statement following the hearing.
According to earlier reports, authorities stated that the tragic incident occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 19, 2024. Police officers were dispatched to a report of gunshots outside an apartment complex in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a suburban area near Columbus. The incident occurred around 1:45 p.m.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered Hughes lying on the ground, unresponsive and with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was quickly taken to Mount Carmel East Hospital by paramedics, arriving in critical condition. Regrettably, he did not survive his injuries and was declared deceased at 3:03 p.m. by the medical personnel.
According to prosecutors, Williams allegedly shot her son in the back as he was leaving the apartment.
According to the Police affidavit, Williams voluntarily approached the officers who arrived at the scene and admitted to shooting her son.
Officials provided details of a confrontation between a mother and child that initially started as a “domestic incident” but quickly escalated when Williams resorted to grabbing a knife and making an attempt to stab her son.
According to the affidavit, witnesses reported their efforts to assist in disarming Laquandra Williams, but Hughes managed to take the knife away from her on his own.
Nevertheless, Williams became even more infuriated by being disarmed as reported by Law&Crime.
“I’m going to show you something,” she stated, according to the witnesses. Williams then went outside to her vehicle. Police said the witnesses and Hughes knew that Williams kept a handgun inside her vehicle, so they proceeded to lock her outside.
However, it seems that Hughes was determined to depart. He quickly packed his bags and left the house as soon as his mother was locked outside.
“As [Hughes] left the residence, with his bags in hand, Laquandra Williams got out of her car and shot him at close range,” the affidavit states.
A neighbor who happened to be observing the scene from their window informed the authorities that they saw Williams firing at Hughes.
Williams was taken into custody without any trouble and brought to the police headquarters. There, she admitted to the shooting once more during an interview with detectives, according to the affidavit.
The woman fondly recalled her brother as a devout individual who had a deep passion for gospel music. According to her other Facebook posts, she has emphasized that her mother was not mentally well during the incident.
Williams has been in custody at the Fairfield County jail since her arrest.
No information has been provided by authorities regarding the cause of the argument between Williams and Hughes.
After the hearing, Williams was placed in the custody of the Fairfield County Sheriff and will be taken to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to serve her sentence, according to prosecutors.
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