Renton police say a years-long hunt for a murder suspect is finally over. Officers arrested 26-year-old Oshea Williams on Friday night, ending what authorities described as more than six years on the run in a 2020 killing that left a 21-year-old man dead. Williams was taken into custody after officers located him near Benson Drive and SE 172nd, according to police.
In a post on Facebook, the Renton Police Department said its Special Enforcement Team, Directed Enforcement Team and Investigations Unit moved in at about 9 p.m. Investigators say Williams had managed to evade capture since the March 10, 2020 shooting and was wanted on a first-degree murder warrant.
How Investigators Tied Williams To The 2020 Shooting
Detectives say Williams was charged after prosecutors reviewed surveillance footage that appeared to show a gunman walk up to a parked car and fire through the rear passenger window. The shots killed 21-year-old Jimm Route in the parking lot of the Formula One Fast Lube at 100 Rainier Ave S on March 10, 2020. The original reporting and identification of Route were detailed in contemporaneous coverage by the Renton Reporter.
Accomplice Charged In 2020
Police had previously arrested J'von Kelly, accusing him of helping Williams in the lead-up to the shooting. Kelly was charged with felony rendering criminal assistance for allegedly driving Williams past the victim’s car, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Earlier coverage said surveillance video showed Kelly driving past the victim’s vehicle multiple times before the gunfire.
Investigation, Reaction And Next Steps
“Six years is a long time, but our investigators never gave up on this case or finding justice for Jimm Route's family,” Renton Police Commander Susan Lewis wrote in the department’s Facebook post. Police said Williams was taken into custody without incident and will be processed and referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Renton Police Detective Renggli or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers and the P3 Tips app. KIRO 7 noted that tipsters should reference Renton Police case #20-2847, and its earlier coverage also summarized the original case details and tip line information.
