In a tragic turn of events on June 1, 2017, Dedrick DeWayne Williams, a 23-year-old Black male, was found deceased alongside 29-year-old Mohamed Sead Hussain. The two men, both from Baker, Louisiana, were discovered in the back of a car near the Amite River, their lives cut short by multiple gunshot wounds to the head. A crew from an electric company stumbled upon the grim scene, finding the victims covered with a sheet inside the vehicle.
The investigation into the double homicide led
authorities to William Bottoms Jr., a 29-year-old with a history of criminal activity. Approximately three weeks after the discovery of the bodies, Bottoms and his then-girlfriend, Megan Marie Gaylord, were apprehended in connection with the killings. Gaylord would later testify against Bottoms during his trial, providing crucial evidence for the prosecution. Forensic evidence presented during the trial also linked Bottoms to the murders.
In August 2019, a jury found William Bottoms Jr. guilty of two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Dedrick DeWayne Williams and Mohamed Sead Hussain. Bottoms, who had spent a significant portion of his adult life incarcerated for previous offenses including armed robbery and aggravated battery, had garnered media attention due to his extensive facial tattoos, which became a point of discussion during his trial. His twin brother, Lawrence Bottoms, had been killed by law enforcement in Mississippi a few months prior to William Bottoms Jr.'s conviction.
