A fugitive wanted for nearly 14 years in the alleged kidnapping and shooting of an Iowa woman was arrested in San Diego after authorities said he reinvented himself as a popular chef under a fake name, even appearing in local news segments while hiding from law enforcement.
Brian Anthony Williams, 50, was arrested Tuesday at Miss B's Coconut Club in Mission Beach, California, where he had been working under the name "Troy Williams," the U. S. Marshals Service said.
Williams had been wanted since 2012, when he and several others allegedly kidnapped, assaulted and shot a woman before abandoning her in a field in northwest Davenport, Iowa.
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He was charged with first-degree kidnapping, assault causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit a felony and first-degree arson. Federal authorities later charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution .
FOX 5 in San Diego reported that Williams had worked at the restaurant for more than eight years, where coworkers considered him part of the family.
Eddie Jurado, the restaurant's general manager and Williams' former roommate, told the station that employees were stunned to learn the man they knew as Troy was wanted in connection with a violent crime nearly 2, 000 miles away.
Williams also appeared in local media interviews, including a February profile published by the Times of San Diego that described his rise from line cook to head chef at Miss B's Coconut Club.
In that interview, Williams discussed growing up in New York, overcoming adversity and the importance of treating others with kindness.
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"Togetherness is how we get better," he told the outlet. "Kindness does win."
But those public appearances may have ultimately helped investigators track him down.
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The station reported that a U. S. Marshals spokesperson said someone recognized Williams from a media interview and alerted authorities, leading investigators to the restaurant.
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Federal agents developed information in September that Williams was living in San Diego under an assumed identity, ultimately tracking him to a business in the 3700 block of Mission Boulevard, where he was arrested without incident Tuesday.
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"This arrest is a perfect example of those who think they have bested law enforcement and evaded arrest," U. S. Marshal Ted Kamatchus said.
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Williams remains in federal custody pending extradition to Iowa, where he faces prosecution in connection with the 2012 attack.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the U. S. Marshals Service and management at Miss B's Coconut Club for comment.
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Jurado said Williams' arrest left employees struggling to reconcile the allegations with the man they had known for years.
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"Like, who is he? He was a good guy here, loved by everybody," Jurado told FOX 5.
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The restaurant manager also expressed compassion for the woman allegedly attacked in Iowa nearly 14 years ago.
"It’s a mixed emotion," Jurado said. "One minute I'm mad that he lied to us. Next minute, he was good to us … It's actually kind of scary."