Ladon Williams, 36, was fatally shot on May 8, 2019, in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. His body was found in a car near Grant Park; surveillance video showed people running from the park after shots were fired.

A 16-year-old, later identified as Brandon Dates, was arrested within 24 hours and admitted to the shooting. Dates was initially held in juvenile detention; in 2021 he was moved to adult court and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence. In exchange for the plea, a murder charge was dismissed and Dates received a 19.5-year sentence. He will be required to register as a violent offender for 10 years after release.

Defense lawyers argued Dates had been trafficked and coerced by Williams, invoking Ohio’s Safe Harbor law for juvenile trafficking victims. The case has seen extended court proceedings, including competency questions and appeals in the First District Court of Appeals. Anyone with information about Williams, the shooting, or the events leading up to it is asked to come forward.