In a quiet home in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of St. Louis, a tragedy unfolded that claimed the lives of a father and his young daughter. Sixty-year-old Tommy L. Williams, a male, and his three-year-old daughter, Octavia Williams, were found deceased in their residence in the 5100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue on the afternoon of Thursday, February 2, 2023.
The discovery sent shockwaves through their family and the surrounding community.
The scene within the home painted a grim picture of the violence that had occurred. Tommy Williams was located in the basement of the house, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his back. Upstairs, a more heartbreaking discovery was made. His young daughter, Octavia, was found on a bed; she had been strangled. The inseparable pair, often seen together with Octavia trailing happily behind her father, were victims of a brutal double homicide.
The investigation quickly led authorities to a person of interest who lived in the same building. Henry Hughes, a 55-year-old man residing in the downstairs unit from the Williams family, was identified as the primary suspect. When law enforcement located Hughes, he was found driving Tommy Williams' car, having allegedly stolen the keys and money from the victim.
Following his apprehension, Hughes was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Tommy and Octavia Williams. In addition to the murder charges, he also faced counts of robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to charging documents, Hughes confessed to the crimes, detailing how he followed Williams to the basement, shot him, and then went upstairs to strangle the young child. He is currently being held without bond.
