In the early hours of June 19, 2022, a sense of community was shattered in Holland, Michigan, by an act of violence that claimed the life of Joseph Roberts, a 36-year-old Black / African American male. Roberts, a family man with dreams of becoming a firefighter and a passion for stand-up comedy, had moved his family from Chicago to Holland in search of a safer environment, away from the very gun violence that would ultimately take his life.
Just after midnight, at an apartment complex on Lincoln Avenue, an argument escalated into a fatal encounter. In a tragic turn of events, Roberts was shot nearly a dozen times. When police arrived at the scene, they found him with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite their life-saving efforts, his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was chaotic, with many potential witnesses reportedly fleeing the area before law enforcement could secure the scene. Investigators from the Holland Department of Public Safety quickly identified a suspect, 39-year-old Thaddeus Cortrez Wilson, also of Holland. An argument between Wilson and Roberts was believed to have preceded the shooting. A warrant for Wilson's arrest was issued on five counts, including homicide-open murder and multiple firearm and drug-related charges. However, Wilson had fled the state, sparking a two-month-long manhunt. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force joined the search, and their investigation led them to Williamson County, Illinois. On August 29, 2022, Thaddeus Cortrez Wilson was located and taken into custody without incident.
Following his extradition to Michigan, Wilson stood trial for the murder of Joseph Roberts. The trial, held in the 48th Circuit Court, spanned two weeks. Wilson claimed he acted in self-defense, but after nine days of evidence and testimony, the jury returned a guilty verdict on January 23, 2023. He was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of felony firearm, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 18, 2024, Judge Margaret Bakker sentenced Thaddeus Cortrez Wilson to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Joseph Roberts, in addition to further prison terms for the other charges. During the sentencing, Roberts' widow spoke of the profound and nightmarish impact his death had on their family, highlighting the painful irony of their move to Holland to escape such violence.
