In December of 2018, the community of Ticonderoga, New York, was shaken by the discovery of a local man's body. William T. Brown, a 37-year-old male, was found deceased in the LaChute River located in Bicentennial Park. The grim discovery was made after police were called to investigate a suspicious vehicle, which led them to tracks that went down to the river's edge. An autopsy would later confirm that Brown, a U.S. Army veteran who had served combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, had died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation into the death of William, who was also known as Liam, quickly moved forward, leading to the identification of several individuals. The primary suspect in the shooting was identified as Michael E. LaRock, a 38-year-old convicted felon from the area. The events leading to Brown's death reportedly began during a gathering at a home on Lonergan Lane where a dispute broke out. After the fatal shooting, authorities determined that Brown's body was placed in the trunk of a car and transported to Bicentennial Park, where it was disposed of in the river. Two other men, 63-year-old Donald C. LaRock, Michael's father, and 35-year-old Joshua W. Smith, were also implicated in the crime.
Following an intensive search, which included pleas from Brown's family on social media, Michael E. LaRock was apprehended near the Canadian border. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, among other offenses. His father, Donald C. LaRock, and Joshua W. Smith were arrested and faced charges including hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence for their roles in attempting to conceal the crime. The legal proceedings brought some measure of closure to the victim's family, as all three men ultimately pleaded guilty to their respective charges. Michael E. LaRock faced a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for the murder, while his accomplices also received prison sentences for their involvement in the aftermath of the tragic event.
