John Williams Arrested Using Handcuffs Of Slain Officer, Somerset County Sheriff ‘Thought It Was Fitting’
After John Williams allegedly shot and killed Cpl. Eugene Cole in Norridgewock, Maine, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, he alluded police for days, causing a state-wide manhunt to ensue.
The Washington Post reports that at least 200 law enforcement officials spent over three days searching for Williams, and on the fourth day, he was finally apprehended at a remote campsite near Route 139 in Norridgewock around 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Fox News shared that a seven-person team was responsible for capturing Williams, while also noting that the suspect gave “little resistance” to arrest.
When it came time to apprehend Williams, officers fittingly used slain officer Cole’s handcuffs to restrain the man.
“I thought that it was fitting. He killed my deputy, Corporal Gene Cole, and he was brought to justice using Cole’s handcuffs,” Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster told press following the arrest.
Lancaster also told the media that if another officer had been killed in the line of duty, Cpl. Cole would have been working day in and day out until an arrest was made. Lancaster believes that Cole would be proud of their efforts.
Futher details as to how Williams was located were not immediately made available, but CNN reported that the FBI offered a $20,000 reward for any information that would lead to his capture.
In the arrest photo, Williams’ tattooed body is shirtless while the man appears to have mulch and grass on the side of his face. William’s head is being held up in the snapshot as the Maine State Police stated that Williams would not present his face willingly for the picture.
After allegedly shooting and killing Cpl. Cole sometime between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, CNN reports that Williams took the officer’s vehicle in the same town of Norridgewock where he committed another crime, this time a theft at a convenience store.
On Wednesday, the police car was later found abandoned on the side of a road in Norridgewock. This isn’t the first time that the 29-year-old has been in trouble with the law. Williams was also arrested in March on suspicion of having a gun without a license. He was scheduled to appear at a Massachusetts court on Wednesday.
Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole’s murderer is now in custody. His name and photo will not appear on our social media accounts again.
Now that the manhunt is successfully over, Maine Law Enforcement can properly grieve this tragic loss. pic.twitter.com/VMpyQLjqvX
— Scarborough Police (@ScarboroughMePD) April 28, 2018
Cole leaves behind a son, according to Fox News. He was a member of the police force for 13 years and will be laid to rest on Monday at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.
