Joshua Williams: Man arrested for strangling teen GF to death after incriminating internet searches
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A 24-year-old man, Joshua Williams from Illinois was arrested over the weekend for allegedly strangling a 15-year-old girl to death, then performing a series of incriminating internet searches which included ''strangulation'', ''the death penalty,” and “how to explain an asphyxiation death", as per Law & Crime.
According to court documents acquired by Law & Crime, Williams was taken into prison on Saturday, December 16, and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the murder of young Amarise Parker. She was found dead with a necklace "lodged" in her throat.
Joshua Williams and Amarise Parker were in a relationship
Prosecutors stated in a detention proffer that Williams and the deceased had a "dating relationship" before the victim passed away. In the past, Parker's family has reported their daughter missing multiple times due to her runaway behavior.
According to the prosecution, Parker had been residing at Williams' house for a few days when on December 10 she walked to a neighbor's house and requested to use a phone.
Parker requested to be picked up at Williams' house over the phone from her mother. Parker's mother said that after driving to Williams' house, she was unable to see her daughter.
Parker called her mother again on December 11 and asked to be picked up at Williams’ home. This time, she got in the car with her mother and the two drove back to their home.
That day, Parker revealed to her mother that Williams “would not let her leave” his home, saying she “escaped when he thought that she was in the restroom.”
However, at around 2:15 p.m., Parker's mother left the house to pick up her other daughter from school, and when she got back, the 15-year-old was gone.
Parker, according to the authorities, went back to Williams' house and spent the night there. Several Williams' neighbors informed authorities that they heard the two fighting into the early hours of December 12.
Williams at about 7 p.m. on December 12 called his cousin and a friend and "indicated that (Parker) was foaming at the mouth, and he did not know what to do," as prosecutors said. Williams’ cousin then called 911 and reported the situation.
Williams 'panicked' when he found Parker dead
The proffer however said, “Paramedics arrived and found (Parker) lying in an open closet with a blanket covering all but her head. Paramedics found a necklace lodged in (Parker’s) throat. (Parker’s) neck was red and cut. (Parker) also had cut/scratches on the right side of her face leading down her neck.”
Medical personnel declared Parker passed away at the site. Parker's windpipe was determined to have been crushed during a later examination.
The cause of death was identified as strangulation/asphyxiation, and the mode of death was homicide.
In an interview with police, Williams allegedly said that he and Parker fell asleep together on the night of December 11 and claimed that he “panicked” when Parker did not wake up the next day. He also asserted that he and Parker did not argue the previous night.
Following that, police searched Williams' mobile under a search warrant, and it was there that they purportedly discovered the incriminating Google searches and several videos showing Williams ''touching (Parker's) dead body at about 6:30 p.m. on December 12'.'
The proffer stated, “In addition, (Williams’) Google search history included 50 searches related to strangulation, the victim by name, the death penalty, murder, how to explain an asphyxiation death, the penalty for murder and overdosing on medication, texts, various ‘inculpatory’ web searches, and PDF downloads."
Additionally, the authorities discovered that Williams was wanted in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for an assault case including strangling. Williams was denied bond when he appeared before the judge on Tuesday, December 19. His next court date is set for January 10.