Man Wanted In Maine Deputy Killing Was Due In MA Court Today

HAVERHILL, MA — Two Massachusetts judges twice lowered the bail of a man who is now the subject of a multi-state manhunt. John Williams, 29, is wanted for killing a Maine sheriff's deputy and stealing his cruiser Monday morning. Main State Police issued a nationwide alert and said he is armed and dangerous

Williams fatally shot Cpl. Eugene Cole in Norridgewock, Maine, between 1-2 a.m., police said. He then allegedly stole Cole's cruiser and then stole from a Cumberland Farms. The abandoned cruiser was found in Norridgewock around 5 a.m. The cruiser's dash cam recorded the following image:

In March, Massachusetts State Police arrested Williams on firearms and other charges. While prosecutors requested bail of $10,000, Judge Michael Patten set bail at $7,500. Five days later, Judge Timothy Feeley reduced it to $5,000 during a bail review hearing. Williams posted bail and was released on March 31. He was due back in court on Wednesday for a probable cause hearing.

Williams, whose last known address is in Madison, Maine, is 5-ft, 6-inches tall and 120 pounds with brown hair, the sides shaved, and a ponytail on top of his head. He has blue eyes.

Williams was arrested in the early morning hours of March 22 when State Police came across two vehicles in the breakdown lane of I-495. Williams was the driver off the car that went off the road. He was in possession of a firearm.

Police arrested Williams and charged him with possession/carrying a firearm without a license, improper storage of a firearm, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a large capacity feeding device, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and marked lanes violation.

Photos from Maine State Police