Left to right: Benjamin “Bambi” Williams and Joana Peca (St. Petersburg Police Department).
An individual from Florida, aged 41, who had been evading authorities for quite some time for allegedly murdering his estranged partner by shooting her in the face while she was holding their baby, has been apprehended after someone in Mexico identified the suspected shooter from a TikTok video related to the incident.
The arrested individual, Benjamin Williams, also referred to as “Bambi,” was captured after more than three years and is facing charges including first-degree murder for the killing of 27-year-old Joana Peca. Along with this, Williams is also facing charges of felony child abuse, as disclosed by the authorities. During the incident, the couple’s other child was present in the back seat.
According to a news release from the St. Petersburg Police Department, a break in the case came through a true crime video posted to social media.
According to a statement released, “Last week, an individual spotted a TikTok post and contacted the St. Petersburg Police Department to provide a tip that Williams was residing in Mexico.” Subsequently, detectives collaborated with the U.S. Marshals Service to arrest Williams, who was then brought back to the United States. A detective from St. Petersburg along with a Pinellas Deputy drove to Miami to retrieve him and transfer Williams to the Pinellas County Jail during the holiday weekend.”
Joana Peca’s mother, Eleni Peca, spoke during a Wednesday news briefing with police where she thanked all of the law enforcement authorities involved in Williams’ capture.
“Starting today, Benjamin Williams’ freedom is over,” she said, adding, “He’s not going to see the daylight again. He’s behind bars where he belongs.”
As Law&Crime previously reported, Williams is accused of gunning down Peca while she sat in her own vehicle at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, 2021, near the Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery. Investigators said that Peca was shot multiple times, including several times in the face
Authorities said she died inside the vehicle while her youngest child, an infant, was in her arms and her 4-year-old child could only watch in horror as Peca was gunned down in cold blood. Police said the children were “terrified” when officers first arrived on the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, St. Petersburg Chief of Police Anthony Holloway told reporters that the alleged crime left him nearly speechless.
“Williams goes up to his girlfriend, who is holding his baby in her arms, and he shoots her several times,” Chief Holloway said at the time. “I can’t answer that question. I don’t know what it would take a person to do that.”
In an interview with Tampa-based ABC News-affiliate WFTS, Holloway said that investigators think Williams intentionally lured Peca to the cemetery.
“He called her and asked her to meet him at that location because she was bringing the children to him to see,” Holloway said. “Once they got to that location that’s when he decided to gun her down.”
Williams is currently being held without bond in Pinellas County Jail.
“Thanks to the dedication of St. Petersburg Police detectives and the invaluable support of the U.S. Marshals and the ATF, a dangerous criminal was captured, bringing justice to the victim’s family,” Holloway said in a statement Tuesday. “While nothing can restore the life of a beloved daughter and mother to two young children, we hope this offers them some long-overdue peace and closure.”
