“It’s very, very important that we get him into custody as soon as possible,” a St. Petersburg Police Department spokesperson said.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A manhunt remains ongoing for 38-year-old Benjamin Robert Williams, with the nickname of “Bambi,” who is accused of shooting his girlfriend Saturday while she held their baby in her arms.
Authorities with the ATF and U.S. Marshals Service have joined the search for Williams by providing teams of agents to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Now, a $20,000 reward for information that leads to Williams’ capture is also being offered.
“It’s very, very important that we get him into custody as soon as possible,” a police department spokesperson said.
Officers responded Saturday in the area of 1st Avenue S. and 60th Street S., near Woodlawn Memory Gardens for reports of a person shot. When they arrived, officers say they found 27-year-old Joana Peca dead from a gunshot wound inside a car.
Her two young children were inside the car with her. They weren’t hurt but were “terrified,” according to police.
“That 4-year-old has gotta live with that for the rest of their life. Watching his mom being executed,” Police Chief Anthony Holloway said.
Two days later on Aug. 2, police issued an arrest warrant for Williams who they say was in a relationship with Peca and the father of her infant child.
Police say Williams shot Peca in the face multiple times while she was holding their child. Her older child was in the backseat during the shooting, according to police.
Williams is believed to be armed and dangerous, according to law enforcement. A warrant is out for his arrest for second-degree murder.
“We just know that he did kill someone in our city and thanks to our federal partners, there’s no place for him to hide. Wherever he is, with his information is out there, we’re gonna find him and we’re gonna do everything we can to bring him to justice,” Holloway said.
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The police department and ATF are asking people to please pick up the phone and call them with any information that could lead to Williams’ arrest. Holloway added that Williams is a known person of interest in several other area homicides.
Peca’s mother, Eleni, called for justice in her daughter’s death through tears during a Thursday press conference.
“We need justice. The babies need justice,” she said.
Eleni also joined law enforcement in their pleas for help in locating Williams for the sake of her daughter who she described as a wonderful mother.
“I am here to beg everybody. I need your help to find this guy. People like him, they shouldn’t be on the street. Today he did it to my daughter, tomorrow he can do it to somebody else,” she said.
According to Eleni, her daughter trusted Williams and that’s why she was with him the day she was killed. She added that her daughter “felt bad” for Williams because he was at the grave of a family member and showed up with their son to support him.
“That’s my daughter,” she added. Eleni also had strong words for Williams.
“If the father of the baby killed the mother. He’s not human. This is my thoughts for him, he’s not human,” she said. “My daughter shouldn’t deserve that – shot from him.”
Anyone with information on Williams’ whereabouts is asked to contact 1-877-926-8332 immediately.