Witness in unsolved ’01 homicide rode his bike past victim just before shots were fired

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — The last words Jerome Williams ever spoke were most likely to the person who rode their bike past him early one June morning just before Williams was shot to death.

The person told police investigating the June 17, 2001, death of the 20-year-old Williams that he was riding his bike west about 1:30 a.m. in the 500 block of West Hylda Avenue when he encountered Williams, who was walking east on Hylda in the middle of the street.

The two exchanged the greeting of, “What’s up,” when the witness, who continued riding to West Hylda and Utilis avenues, saw a long car on Utilis turn onto West Hylda, behind Williams.

The witness heard several shots and saw Williams fall.

That witness was one of at least four who called police after they heard shots fired, but detectives were never able to make an arrest in Williams’ case.

Williams was one of 34 people killed in 2001 in Youngstown. Of those 34 cases, 18 were unsolved.

Police also received a call from a man who was driving a car and said he saw someone in a car shoot a man who was walking. The man said he turned around and saw a body lying in the street. The caller did not leave their name.

A neighbor also called 911 and told call takers she saw a body in the street “and that we needed to get someone there now,” reports said.

Another man who was driving his car told police he was driving west on Hylda Avenue when he saw a body lying in the street. He drove to a nearby store on Glenwood Avenue and asked the employee to call police, reports said.

The witnesses on the bike told police he drove to a friend’s house and called 911, but he misdialed because he dialed “330” and 911 the first time he called and the call didn’t go through. He dialed 911 a second time, this time correctly, and told police a man had been shot by the old Cleveland School.

Police found seven shell casings near Williams’ body and took them for evidence.

This story is part of a series of cold cases that WKBN is examining.

Do you have a cold case that you’d like us to look into further? Submit a cold case to WKBN.

Anyone with information on the death of Williams can call the Detective Bureau at 330-742-8911 or CrimeStoppers Youngstown at 330-746-CLUE.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.