On the morning of March 6, 2021, 18-year-old James Cornelius Williams Jr. was found dead inside a black Lincoln MKZ on the 800 block of West 6th Street in Chester, Pennsylvania. Police arrived shortly after 8:30 a.m. and discovered the vehicle had crashed into the steps of a nearby building and was riddled with bullet holes in the driver’s side rearview window. James had sustained gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Born April 25, 2002, in Chester, James graduated from Upper Darby High School with the class of 2020. Teachers and family remembered him for his infectious smile, ambition, and skills with his hands; he had participated in wrestling, honors choir, and acting, and was learning the family business with his uncle. He was a member of Faith Tabernacle Church and is mourned by his parents, Catrina Jacobs and James Williams Sr., his siblings, and many friends.

No arrests have been announced and the shooting remains unsolved. If anyone has information about the shooting or James’s final hours, please come forward.