In the late hours of a September evening in 2020, the life of Jamie Fincher, a 35-year-old Black man, was tragically cut short in Newburgh, New York. On Saturday, September 19, at approximately 11:14 p.m., police responded to a report of shots fired in the vicinity of 332 Liberty Street. Upon their arrival, they discovered Fincher lying in front of the address with several gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services were immediately requested, and officers on the scene began life-saving measures. Fincher was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation into Fincher's death was a collaborative effort involving the City of Newburgh Police Department, the New York State Police Major Crimes unit, and the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Despite the challenges presented by a lack of initial community cooperation, law enforcement officials persevered in their search for justice. Their tireless efforts eventually led to the identification of a suspect.
In July 2021, authorities announced the arrest of 31-year-old Joshua Williams of Newburgh in connection with the murder of Jamie Fincher. Williams was arraigned on an indictment charging him with a slate of serious felonies, including Murder in the Second Degree, Manslaughter in the First Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree.
Prosecutors alleged that Williams intentionally caused Fincher's death by shooting him with a loaded firearm. The charges also suggested that in the act of discharging the weapon, Williams displayed a depraved indifference to human life by recklessly engaging in conduct that created a grave risk of death to others present at the scene. Following his arraignment, bail for Williams was set at $750,000 cash, a $2 million insurance company bond, or a $3 million partially secured bond. The case highlighted the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat violent crime within the community.
