In the early morning hours of a summer day in Chesapeake, Virginia, the life of 35-year-old William Watkins was tragically cut short. On August 1, 2015, the sound of gunfire pierced the pre-dawn quiet in the area of Berkley Avenue and Crystal Avenue. Responding to reports of the shots, police officers arrived to a grim discovery. In the yard of a home in the 600 block of Crystal Avenue, they found Watkins lying wounded.
He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A native of Portsmouth, William Watkins' sudden and violent death prompted an immediate homicide investigation by the Chesapeake Police Department. Detectives began canvassing the neighborhood and seeking information from the public in an effort to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. In the initial days of the investigation, however, details were scarce. Authorities publicly stated that they had not identified any suspects and urged anyone with information to come forward.
As time passed with no arrests, the case of William Watkins' murder grew cold. Despite the ongoing efforts of law enforcement, the individual or individuals responsible for his death have never been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the homicide. The investigation remains open, and Watkins' death is now considered a cold case by the Chesapeake Police Department. His killing is one of several unsolved homicides in the city for which investigators continue to seek new leads that might bring closure to his family and justice for his untimely death.
