On a cold December evening in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the life of 17-year-old NyAsia Williams-Thomas was tragically cut short. The young Black/African American female was found slumped over the steering wheel of her car on Village Road on December 4, 2019. She had been shot and was rushed to Landmark Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Inside the vehicle with Williams-Thomas were two other individuals, an adult woman and a 14-year-old boy, who were unharmed.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence; rather, they believed one of the passengers in the car was the intended target in a case of mistaken identity. In the moments after being shot, Williams-Thomas attempted to drive away, striking several parked vehicles before her car came to a stop in the middle of the street.
The Woonsocket police launched an immediate and intensive investigation into the senseless act of violence that claimed the teenager's life. Their efforts led to the swift apprehension of suspects. Within days, authorities announced the arrests of two adults and two juveniles in connection with the homicide. The adult suspects were identified as Jose Ortiz Martinez, 18, and Craig Robinson, with two unnamed juveniles also taken into custody. The investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving one of the passengers in Williams-Thomas's car.
Ultimately, two Woonsocket men, Quinton St. Pierre and Craig Robinson, were charged with the murder of NyAsia Williams-Thomas. The investigation determined that St. Pierre and Robinson, along with Jose Ortiz Martinez, had planned to retaliate against an individual they believed was in the vehicle. On the evening of the shooting, St. Pierre and Robinson approached the car and fired into it, striking Williams-Thomas. She was not the intended target. In May 2022, both Quinton St. Pierre and Craig Robinson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced to life in prison. Jose Ortiz Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and received a lesser sentence.
