Williams cleared in 2021 shooting death

Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·1 min read

Jul. 6—VALDOSTA — Justin Williams has been cleared of charges in a 2021 shooting death.

A Lowndes County grand jury cleared Williams of a murder charge in connection with the April 2021 incident.

Williams, 30, was "no billed" by the Lowndes County Grand Jury, meaning the jury felt the evidence presented wasn't enough to warrant a trial, according to court records.

Leon Thomas Jr., 31, of Brooks County was killed April 21, 2021, after an argument at a Valdosta nightclub, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said at the time. Williams surrendered to authorities four days later.

City police were called to a report of an argument at a nightclub in the 4100 block of Bemiss Road between 2:30-3 a.m. that date, Paulk said. The argument began as a dispute among women which morphed into an argument between men which moved to the parking lot of a nearby business located in the county, which is where the shooting took place, the sheriff said at the time.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.