William Blackwell, a 58-year-old male, had been a resident of the Trenton, New Jersey, area for 26 years and was known as a dedicated family man and a hard worker. For over three decades, he was a grinder at the Atlantic Spring Company in Flemington. His life was tragically cut short on October 23, 2016, when he was found shot to death outside of his home in Ewing Township, a suburban area near Trenton.
The investigation into his death quickly pointed toward his son-in-law, Lewis
Norwood, as the primary suspect. It was revealed that Norwood had a contentious relationship with his father-in-law, which investigators believed to be a motive for the murder. Norwood was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder and weapons offenses in connection with Blackwell's death.
Norwood's wife, Daphne Conklin Norwood, was also implicated in the case and initially faced charges as an accomplice to the murder. However, a grand jury later dismissed the accomplice to murder charge against her due to a lack of sufficient evidence. She still faced legal troubles, including charges of hindering the apprehension of her husband.
Ultimately, Lewis Norwood did not go to trial for murder. Instead, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter. As a result of his guilty plea, he was sentenced to a lengthy prison term, receiving a 20-year sentence with a requirement to serve 17 years before being eligible for parole.
