Clay County authorities are searching for 21-year-old Matthew R. Williams after a robbery at Smithville Lake left a victim pistol-whipped, held against his will and stripped of his belongings.
In a Friday alert, the Clay County Sheriff's Office
said Williams is charged with first-degree robbery and may frequent Lee's Summit, Blue Springs and Raytown. The agency described him as 6 feet 7 inches tall and about 220 pounds, and asked anyone who knows where he is to call 816-407-3700 or 911.
The robbery happened late July 17 into early July 18 at Smithville Lake, according to the sheriff's office. Georgio M. Sparks, 21, Haeli Smith, 18, and Mason X. Card, 18, have also been charged in the case and are in custody, while Williams remains the subject of the search.
What Investigators Say Happened At Smithville Lake
The public alert identifies the victim as having been assaulted with a pistol during the robbery and forced to surrender his belongings. The notice did not provide additional details about what led up to the confrontation or describe the property taken.
Because Williams is known to frequent communities on both sides of the Kansas City area, the search extends well beyond the lake itself. Authorities are asking people who may have information about his whereabouts to contact investigators rather than attempt to intervene.
First-Degree Robbery Charge Explained
Under Missouri law, first-degree robbery is a class A felony when a person forcibly steals property and a participant causes serious injury, is armed, or uses or threatens the use of a dangerous instrument, among other circumstances, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes. The charge is an allegation, and Williams is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
How To Share Information
Anyone who knows where Williams may be should call the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 816-407-3700 or call 911 in an emergency. The agency provided no information indicating that members of the public should approach Williams themselves.
