In a wooded area in Covington, Georgia, the discovery of smoke by bystanders on May 6, 2017, led to a grim finding. Responding to the alert, Covington police officers found the burning body of a man, later identified as 62-year-old Michael Avon Williams, a male who was experiencing homelessness. An initial examination at the scene revealed that Williams had also sustained a head injury. An officer at the scene used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
The investigation into the death of Michael Avon Williams quickly pointed to a suspect. Based on interviews with two witnesses, authorities identified 39-year-old Benjamin Marcus Johnson of Covington as the individual allegedly involved. Police located and arrested Johnson later that same evening. He was taken into custody near a Family Dollar store after a vehicle he was traveling in was stopped by law enforcement. It is believed that Williams and Johnson were acquainted with each other, though a motive for the killing has not been publicly established.
Following his arrest, Benjamin Marcus Johnson was booked into the Newton County Jail. He faced charges of murder, concealing the death of another, and arson in connection with the death of Michael Avon Williams. The case, a joint investigation by the Covington Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, proceeded through the legal system. In February of 2026, a magistrate court judge ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the prosecution of Johnson to move forward, and he was bound over for trial.
