Chapter 29: The Verdict

Mohegan Lake Journal

February 7, 1985: Thursday

Jury Finds Justice for Missing Teen

Reported by: Tina Shefford

After only three days of deliberation, the jury found Jonathan J. Williams guilty of manslaughter.

In late May, Williams was arrested by the Mohegan Lake Police department after Miss Orlando's body was found partially decayed behind The Town Center Mall.

Initially Williams denied seeing the victim the day of her disappearance. However, after detectives received a crucial lead connecting Williams to Miss Orlando, he was brought in for questioning.

Williams' defense argued that the troubled teen was high on drugs the night he was with Miss Orlando and that he couldn't fully recall the events when questioned. They also explained to the jury that Miss Orlando was the aggressor and that Williams merely pushed her away causing her to fall and accidently hit her head.

The district attorney used the same theory, however, insisting it was indeed Williams who exhibited the unwanted advances and not Miss Orlando. And if the jury compared their sizes, it would be unfathomable to think that Miss Orlando stood a chance against Williams.

"Imagine how enraged he was when she refused him," argued Prescott Firo, Westchester County D.A.

Dr. Richard Sparks, the Westchester County Medical Examiner, confirmed that the blunt force trauma to the victim's skull could not have been caused by a single fall.

Dr. Sparks testified, "Miss Orlando's injuries were extensive. Her death was definitely caused by repeated forceful blows."

The doctor's summation discredited Williams' primary defense.

During the course of nineteen days, fifteen witnesses were called to testify. Including the defendants alleged girlfriend, Miss Deborah LaCata. When first questioned, Williams claimed he was with Miss LaCata the night of the murder. However, her testimony did not support the timeline presented by the Williams.

"We are happy the jury saw through the repeated lies and inconsistencies given by Mr. Williams. And we hope the Orlando family will finally have some peace knowing justice was served," stated Firo.

Jury foreman, Maclin Pierce, told the judge that they did not believe that Williams intentionally planned to kill the victim. Judge Edna Blake, who presided over the trial, clarified for the jury the legal rational why the verdict would constitute manslaughter and not murder.

Williams faces eight to twenty-five years in prison. Sentencing will take place sometime in May.

"And that's why we left New York. After Stacey was found and JJ was arrested, my friends stopped talking to me. None of them could believe that I kept quiet for as long as I did. No one wanted to hear about how torn I was between protecting JJ and giving Stacey's family closure. I couldn't go to school. The kids were cruel, even the teachers treated me horribly. My parents went to the school to complain a few times, but nothing changed. I was treated like a leper. I eventually just stopped going to school. It got so bad that I never left my room. Your grandparents were really worried. And since my mother's parents were living in Florida, it seemed like a good place to start over."

It was all out in the open now. I had gotten the answers to all of my questions and more. Mom and I sat quiet for a while.

It was nearly eleven and my dad and brother would be home soon. We placed all the photos and yearbooks back into the box. I put the lid on top and mom picked up the box and pushed it back into its secluded corner.

Lying in bed that night I started to think about JJ and mom's friends. They were all adults now, even though in my mind I see them still as teens.

My eyes began to get heavy. I was completely drained. All the crying and talking was exhausting. My body began to relax, and I started to drift off to sleep. Then all of a sudden, a feeling of panic struck me. JJ could be out! He could be out of prison right now! The article said he could get eight to twenty-five years. Mom never said how long he was sentenced. If I assumed he got the maximum, that would put his release sometime in 2009 or 2010.

I threw the off the blanket, sprang out of bed, and grabbed my laptop off the desk. I typed Jonathan J. Williams, Mohegan Lake, New York, 1985 in Google. Tons of websites appeared, all costing money with a guarantee to produce results. But all I was interested in was his prison record. I knew that information was free public information, thank you Law and Order.

I tried the search again, but this time I typed New York Prison Records. Viola! A .gov website appeared which looked promising. The database titled, Incarcerated Look Up, asked for full name and year of birth. Mom was born in 1969, I knew that for sure, JJ was a year or two older. I filled in the required information and there it was.

Custody Status: RELEASED

He was eligible for parole in 1993, but it was obviously denied because he was released 8/7/2001.

JJ had been out for the last ten years. For ten years he had been going to the movies, going out to dinner, and talking on the phone. He was able to have friends, date, maybe even get married and have kids. JJ was out there in the world somewhere living his life. I felt so angry thinking about how he took Stacey's life and still got to have his.

I spent the next two hours trying to find information on him. I checked Facebook and other social media websites. Unfortunately, all I could find were other people with the same name that were either a lot younger or much older. I even found a few who were dead, clearly not him.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" A voice whispered in the dark.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I looked up to see my mom peeking her head into my room.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd do some internet browsing."

Mom stepped into my room and closed the door behind her. She tiptoed over and sat down at the end of my bed.

"I see. And what was it that you had to find out at this time of night that couldn't wait until morning?"

I turned the screen of my laptop and pointed, "He's out mom. Not only is he out, but he was also released in 2001. Did you know that? Did you know he has been living his life out and free for the last decade?"

Mom bowed her head and said gently, "Yes, I knew."

"How did you know?" I crossed my arms and squinted my eyes like a spoiled kid who wasn't getting her way.

"I don't know. You hear things. Maybe your father told me. I really don't recall."

"It's not right mom. He's forty-three years old. I mean he is old, but not that old. Not like grandpa old. He still has his whole life ahead of him. What kinda justice is that for Stacey?"

Mom let out a sigh before responding.

"Rosey, I don't know what to say. You are right of course, but the law determined his sentence."

"Well, he should have at least done the maximum amount. He shouldn't have been let out after only spending sixteen years locked up."

"Sixteen years," Mom whispered. "The same age Stacey was when ...when she died."

Mom squeezed my leg and then leaned in to give me a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

"Mom?" I said as she reached the door. "Do you think about her sometimes? I mean do you wonder about what she would have been like now?"

She walked back over to my bed and sat down at the end.

" I want you to promise me something," she began. " I want you to promise me that we can consider this topic closed. I don't want to tear myself up like this or torment myself any longer about what happened. It was a long time ago. I answered your questions. I gave you what you were looking for. Can you put this to rest now? Can you do that for me, please Rosey?"

I nodded my head in agreement. It was true. I had gotten what I asked for and it was enough.

In the weeks that followed, mom and I became closer. She was right, I did think of her differently now, But, not in the way that made me think less of her. I found myself wanting to be around her more often. I felt closer to her now that I knew this part of her past.

Sometimes we hug each other for no reason at all. Just randomly one of us will walk up to the other and squeeze, neither of us saying a word. There's no need to, we both know who we are thinking about.