Greyhound bus shooter deemed legally sane during 2020 shooting
The same Kern County jury that found a man guilty of the 2020 shooting of passengers on a Greyhound bus in transit through the Tejon Pass found Wednesday he was mentally sane at the time of the shooting.
Anthony Devonte Williams was found guilty April 25 of first-degree murder, six counts of attempted murder and six counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a person.
Following the jury’s verdict, Williams will be sentenced June 6.
On Feb. 3, 2020, Williams shot six people on a Greyhound bus traveling through the Tejon Pass, killing Elena Lurbis Vence and injuring five others. Williams also argued with a passenger on the bus and threatened to shoot him, leading to the sixth count of attempted murder.
In the second phase of the trial, the jury was tasked with deciding whether Williams was mentally sane at the time of the shooting. Williams was represented by Deputy Public Defenders Nick Roth and Samantha Sark.
"Of course I'm disappointed in the jury's sanity finding, but it is very clear that the jury was incredibly thoughtful in their deliberations and considered all of the evidence that was presented to them," Roth said by email Wednesday afternoon. "It is my sincere hope that Mr. Williams receives the mental health treatment that he needs, and that the victims in this case and their families receive some amount of closure, now that the trial has concluded."
Prosecutor Stephanie Taconi said during closing arguments in that phase of the trial on Monday that Williams knew what he was doing and the consequences of shooting people on the bus.
Taconi argued that Williams actively chose to shoot people. Williams even admitted to officers and his grandmother over the phone that he knew what he did was wrong, Taconi said during closing arguments.
“I knew exactly what I was doing when I pulled the trigger,” Williams said in the video while speaking to California Highway Patrol officers.
However, Williams’ defense attorneys, Roth argued Monday that Williams suffered from mental illness. Witnesses noticed that Williams seemed agitated before boarding the bus and said Williams was talking to himself, Roth said. Roth said Williams was doing what he felt was necessary to protect himself.
Roth said Monday that Williams was in fear for his life and his family members’ lives after he believed someone hacked his phone. Roth said Williams was shooting in self-defense.
