A woman has been charged in connection with an assault that occurred prior to a fatal shooting in Waltham, as confirmed by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Waltham Chief of Police Kevin O'Connell. The suspect, Melanie Williams, 30, of Waltham, is alleged to have assaulted her partner during an altercation that happened over the weekend. This incident preceded the shooting where Zharia Wilcox-Ellis, 24, also of Waltham, was found dead with a gunshot wound.
Waltham Police, responding to a distress call late on Friday, arrived at a parking lot on Second Avenue to find Wilcox-Ellis already deceased. According to the investigators, there had been a conflict involving several individuals close to the apartment building where Williams lived and which the victim was reported to frequently visit.
Video surveillance, as part of the ongoing investigation, purportedly shows Williams striking the victim. On the day of her arraignment, Williams faced charges of assault and battery on a household or family member. The Middlesex District Attorney's Office is combining efforts with the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit and Waltham Police in the investigation. Carrie Spiros and Robert Royce are the prosecutors assigned to the case, with Kristen Chamberlain serving as the victim witness advocate.
The concurrent authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward, as the search for answers intensifies. There has not been a name officially connected to the shooting as a suspect, and many details regarding the circumstance of the incident still remain to be uncovered. According to a report obtained by Boston 25 News, Waltham Police plead for any witnesses to not hesitate to contact them at 781-314-3550 with potentially valuable information.
