On a late spring day, the tranquility of Tusten, New York, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the life of a young man. Anthony Williams, a 24-year-old Black male from the nearby town of Fremont, was fatally shot on May 22, 2021. The incident occurred around 12:20 p.m. at a residence on Lake Country Lane. When New York State Police troopers arrived at the scene, they discovered Williams with a gunshot wound.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by both the troopers and emergency medical services, his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the arrest of a suspect, 81-year-old John Rhodes, a resident of Tusten. Rhodes was taken into custody in connection with the homicide and subsequently faced serious charges. He was charged with second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities reported that a. 33-caliber rifle was found at the scene. This was not Rhodes's first encounter with the law, as he had a prior conviction for criminal possession of a machine gun in 2004.
Following his arrest, John Rhodes was arraigned in the Town of Tusten Court. The judge ordered him to be remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without the possibility of bail. The Sullivan County District Attorney's Office, in conjunction with the New York State Police Bureau of Investigation, took charge of the ongoing investigation. While the authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the shooting, the case has drawn considerable attention due to the significant age difference between the victim and the accused. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Anthony Williams's death continues.
