California Chef Unmasked as Iowa Fugitive After 14 Years on the Run
US Marshals arrest Brian Anthony Williams, wanted for allegedly staging his girlfriend's kidnapping and assault in 2012.
A chef who worked at a San Diego beach club has been arrested and identified as an Iowa fugitive who had been evading law enforcement for over a decade. Brian Anthony Williams, 50, was taken into custody on October 6th in San Diego on multiple outstanding warrants from Iowa.
Williams had been living under the alias Troy Williams and serving as the head chef at Miss B's Coconut Club in Mission Beach since fleeing Iowa in 2012. He is wanted in Scott County, Iowa, for his alleged involvement in staging the kidnapping and assault of his girlfriend, Brittany Hamilton, as a means to end their relationship. According to reports, Williams and Hamilton were living together when he allegedly conspired with three other men to duct-tape them both and drive them to a field.
Hamilton was reportedly shot in the leg and left in a ditch, while Williams proceeded to a local truck stop to report the incident. In connection with the incident, Williams faced charges including first-degree kidnapping, assault, willful injury causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit a felony, and first-degree arson. The group also allegedly set fire to Hamilton's new boyfriend's house, though no injuries were reported in that incident.
Williams managed to evade capture for nearly 14 years until the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) received information in September that he was living in San Diego. During his time in California, Williams reportedly appeared in local publications and television news segments under his assumed identity, including a February article in the Times of San Diego where he discussed his life experiences without mentioning his past in Iowa.
Eddie Jurado, the general manager at Miss B's Coconut Club, expressed shock at the arrest, stating that the Troy they knew was well-liked and that Williams' arrest was unexpected. "I want to feel a certain way, but then I feel a different way because the Troy we knew is not that same guy that did that," Jurado told KGTV.
During a court appearance on Monday, Williams acknowledged that he is indeed the Brian Anthony Williams wanted in Iowa. The judge ordered his extradition to Iowa, with a status hearing scheduled in 30 days to confirm his transfer.
Ted Kamatchus, the US Marshal for the Southern District of Iowa, commented that the arrest exemplifies how individuals who believe they have evaded law enforcement can still be brought to justice, emphasizing the USMS's dedication to pursuing offenders.