The life of 15-year-old Alexcia Lynch, a Black female from Syracuse, New York, was cut short on a late summer evening. On Friday, August 30, 2024, at approximately 8:14 p.m., Syracuse Police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at 901 Madison Street. Officers arrived to find Alexcia suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the days that followed, loved ones gathered for a vigil at the site where Alexcia died, releasing balloons in her memory. Friends and family remembered the teen, who had been involved in church as a youth. Her mother, Krystal Herndon, later spoke in court about the ongoing struggle of losing her daughter.
The Syracuse Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division and Homicide Unit launched a swift and thorough investigation. Detectives conducted numerous interviews, canvassed the neighborhood extensively, and executed several search warrants.
Through their efforts, police identified a 15-year-old male as a suspect. The day after the shooting, on August 31, 2024, the suspect voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Public Safety Building in Syracuse.
The suspect was identified as JyQuest Williams, then 15. He was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Following his arraignment, Williams was remanded to the Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Facility to await further legal proceedings.
The case concluded when Williams, then 16, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He also admitted to two counts of second-degree attempted murder for opening fire on two other individuals during the same incident. Prosecutors noted that the motive for the shooting remained unclear, and a judge remarked that Williams had no prior criminal history. In April 2025, Williams was sentenced to at least 16 years in prison. The sentence consisted of 14 years to life for the murder of Alexcia Lynch, with an additional two to six years for the attempted murders.
