– Detroit police sergeant girlfriend
– self-defense claim probation.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Eddie Ray-Jr. Johnson, inset: DPD Sgt. Elaine Williams
FOX 2 (WJBK) – The individual accused of the tragic killing of a Detroit police sergeant in a domestic incident that occurred in their Garden City residence in 2019 has been granted probation as part of a plea deal.
Eddie Ray Jr.-Johnson, who was initially charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm offenses in connection to the death of Detroit police Sgt. Elaine Willaims in June 2019, accepted a plea bargain on Friday. The terms of the agreement stipulate three years of probation after Johnson entered a plea of no contest to manslaughter.
Should Johnson violate the conditions of his probation, he could face a sentence ranging from 57 months to 15 years in prison. The plea deal also saw the dismissal of the felony firearm charge against him.
Johnson’s defense centered around the argument of self-defense, with claims that the shooting occurred in the midst of a struggle. When law enforcement officers arrived at their residence on Belton Street, they found Johnson with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Upon entering the home, authorities discovered the lifeless body of Sgt. Elaine Williams, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Medical personnel pronounced Sgt. Williams deceased at the scene.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy emphasized the gravity of domestic violence cases and the importance of fulfilling her prosecutorial duties in a statement. She acknowledged the complexity of the case, given that both individuals were injured by the same firearm, leaving room for multiple interpretations of the events that transpired.
“While it was not our preferred course of action, we believe that this resolution aligns with our burden of proof. Offering this plea deal to the defendant was a difficult decision, but one we deemed just,” Worthy stated.
The couple, who were domestic partners residing together at the time of the incident, had returned home after an evening out with neighbors at a local bar. Witnesses reported hearing arguments and gunshots emanating from the residence before Johnson was seen exiting the house with a gunshot wound.
Toxicology reports revealed that Sgt. Williams had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.240 grams per 100 milliliters of blood at the time of her death. Johnson’s BAC was recorded at 0.189 grams per 100 milliliters of blood following his hospital admission.
The Michigan State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that all eight .40 caliber shell casings recovered from the scene were fired from a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol issued to Sgt. Elaine Williams in her capacity as a Detroit Police Department sergeant.
Following his surgical procedure at Oakwood hospital, Johnson provided statements to Garden City police officers from his hospital bed. In these interviews, he recounted shooting Sgt. Williams during a struggle that ensued after she allegedly shot him.
Johnson is scheduled for sentencing on Friday, June 14, 2024, at 8:45 a.m.
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– Detroit police sergeant
– Self-defense claim.
