Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Lamont Williams, age 29 of Newburgh, was arraigned in Orange County Court on an unsealed indictment charging him with the crimes of Murder in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Assault in the Second Degree for shooting and killing a 29-year-old man and wounding a five-year-old boy in the City of Newburgh on September 29, 2022.  Williams was remanded to the Orange County Jail in lieu of bail.  Williams is next scheduled to appear in court on December 21, 2022.

It is alleged that in the early evening of September 29, 2022, Williams possessed a loaded pistol that he used to fire at two people.  One of the victims, a 29-year-old Newburgh resident, was struck with wounds that proved to be fatal.  The other victim, a five-year-old boy, was also struck and sustained physical injury.   After the shooting, Williams fled the location and the jurisdiction.  The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, together with the United States Marshal Service and North Carolina law enforcement tracked Williams to a location in North Carolina where he was taken into custody.   Williams was then extradited back to New York to be arraigned on the sealed indictment.  

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department and the Assistant District Attorneys and District Attorney Investigators assigned to the case for their investigation which led to the arrest of Williams.  District Attorney Hoovler also thanked the many federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in New York and North Carolina who assisted in the manhunt for Williams.

“Those who commit senseless violent acts will not escape the long arm of the law,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “I am grateful for the cooperation amongst the various law enforcement agencies in this case that have ensured that the defendant was returned to Orange County to face justice.  I extend my condolences to the families of the victims in this case and pledge the dedicated efforts of my Office to hold the defendant accountable for his alleged actions.” 

The case is being prosecuted by Chief Trial Assistant District Attorney Richard Moran and Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mangold.

This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.