Teville Williams

A dispute over a drink inside a vibrant downtown Burlington bar escalated into deadly violence in the early hours of August 24, 2024, claiming the life of Teville Williams. A 30-year-old Black man from Stowe, Vermont, Williams was a Jamaican national affectionately known as “Bunny.” He had moved to Stowe in 2019 and was remembered by friends, family, and coworkers for his contagious smile and warm personality. His obituary described him as strong, kind, and always willing to lend a helping hand, a man whose death shocked his community to the core. He was the father of two children.

The tragedy began just after midnight inside the Red Square bar on Church Street. According to police, an argument broke out between Williams and a 22-year-old woman named Aaliyah Johnson over a bar tab or a drink. Security camera footage from inside the bar showed the argument becoming physical, with Williams assaulting Johnson. Bar staff intervened and escorted both individuals out of the establishment through separate exits to de-escalate the situation. Williams was led out the front door onto Church Street, while Johnson was taken out a side door into an alley.

Moments later, Johnson walked from the alley to the front of the bar. Security footage captured her confronting Williams as he spoke with security staff on the street. She then pulled a .45 caliber handgun from her purse and fired multiple shots at him at close range. A community service officer on patrol nearby heard the gunshots and alerted police. Officers arrived to a chaotic scene, where an off-duty officer and bystanders were attempting to perform CPR on Williams. Police said a large crowd hampered their efforts to secure the crime scene and render aid. Williams was rushed to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

In the immediate aftermath, Aaliyah Johnson, a resident of South Burlington, approached a police officer near the scene. Crying hysterically, she admitted to the shooting, stating that Williams had hit her in the face and pulled her hair. She surrendered her purse, which contained the loaded pistol. Johnson was arrested and initially charged with first-degree murder. At her arraignment, she pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail as her case proceeded through the court system.

In January 2026, Johnson, then 23, accepted a plea deal with prosecutors. She changed her plea to guilty on a reduced charge of second-degree murder. During an emotional sentencing hearing, family members for both Williams and Johnson filled the courtroom. Williams’s sister spoke of the family’s profound loss, noting his two children would have to grow up without their father. Johnson addressed Williams’s family directly, apologizing for the pain she had caused.

The judge sentenced Aaliyah Johnson to a term of 20 years to life in prison. The sentence was split, requiring her to serve 13 and a half years before she becomes eligible for probation. As of January 2026, the case was closed following this conviction and sentencing.