Cleveland Man Accused Of Murdering Person In Parking Lot

CLEVELAND — A Cleveland man has been accused of murdering a man in the parking lot of a west side pizza shop.

Harold Williams III, 30, was indicted by a grand jury this week. He is accused of killing a 24-year-old in a parking lot, armed robbery and shooting a woman at a nearby gas station.

“This individual murdered a man over a minor fender-bender and shot a woman while robbing a gas station three days later,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “The city of Cleveland is significantly safer with him locked up.”

On Oct. 21, Williams backed his car into the 24-year-old's vehicle. The two began arguing and the 24-year-old tried to walk away, but Williams shot him in the back and then drove off, prosecutors said.

The 24-year-old stumbled into the pizza shop and called 911. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but soon pronounced dead by doctors.

Three days later, on Oct. 24, Williams went to a gas station near Denison Avenue and W. 65th in Cleveland. Prosecutors said he asked people inside the gas station if they had heard about the murder and if they recognized who he was.

Williams was asked to leave the gas station, but he refused until they called 911. Williams then pointed a gun at staff, demanded "everything they had," and then shot one of the victims before running away, prosecutors said.

The grand jury returned an indictment this week. Williams was accused of the following crimes:

• Two counts of murder
• One count of attempted murder
• Three counts of felonious assault
• Two counts of aggravated robbery
• Two counts of having weapons under disability

Williams is being held at Cuyahoga County Jail on a $5 million bond. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.