On March 10, 2014, in a South Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania apartment, the life of 24-year-old Marcus Antonio Ortiz was tragically cut short. What began as a drug-related robbery escalated into a brutal execution-style murder, leaving another man, Keith Crawford, severely wounded. The events of that day set in motion a decade-long pursuit of justice, marked by a high-speed chase, multiple arrests, and a legal battle that would see a conviction overturned and a killer tried twice for his
crimes.
The plan, according to authorities, was orchestrated by Eddie Lee Williams Jr., his girlfriend Akeita Harden, and his cousin, Rick Lavar Cannon. Their target was Keith Crawford, who was known to be a drug dealer. The trio gained entry to Crawford's apartment on Fox Chase Lane with the intent to rob him. However, the situation quickly turned violent. Williams, armed with an illegally obtained handgun, shot both Ortiz and Crawford in the head at close range. Marcus Antonio Ortiz died from his injuries, while Crawford, despite a gunshot wound to the brain, miraculously survived. After the shootings, the assailants stole Crawford's keys and locked the apartment from the outside, a final act of cruelty designed to ensure both men would perish.
What followed was a dramatic, high-speed chase through South Lebanon Township, Myerstown, and the city of Lebanon. Alerted to the shooting, an officer spotted Williams and Cannon fleeing the scene in a Cadillac SUV driven by Harden. Ignoring the officer's commands to stop, the trio led police on a frantic pursuit. During the chase, a shotgun was reportedly thrown from the vehicle. Eventually, the suspects abandoned the car, and while Harden and Cannon were apprehended, Eddie Lee Williams Jr. managed to escape. He remained a fugitive for months before finally being captured in Philadelphia. Evidence, including Williams' DNA on the murder weapon and a trail of stolen items recovered along the chase route, would prove crucial in the case against him.
The legal proceedings against Eddie Lee Williams Jr. were lengthy and complex. In 2015, he was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Marcus Ortiz and attempted murder for the shooting of Keith Crawford. He was sentenced to life in prison. However, in a significant turn of events, a federal court overturned this conviction, citing a 'fatally prejudicial' procedural error during the trial. This decision sent the case back to the Lebanon County Court for a retrial, which commenced in June 2025.
During the retrial, the prosecution once again presented the compelling evidence against Williams. A key and powerful moment in the trial came when Keith Crawford, the survivor of the attack, testified against his assailant. Despite being permanently maimed and having to use a computer to communicate, Crawford identified Williams as the man who shot him. The jury, after hearing all the evidence and testimony, once again found Eddie Lee Williams Jr. guilty of first-degree homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, attempted homicide, and robbery, among other offenses. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Marcus Antonio Ortiz, with an additional 25-year sentence for the attempted murder of Keith Crawford, ensuring that the man responsible for the brutal crimes of that March day in 2014 would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
