NORCROSS, Ga. — A Gwinnett County jury had found a 29-year-old man guilty of murder.
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On Monday, a Gwinnett County jury found Hakiem Sherif Williams, 29, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.
The conviction stems from the murder of Mihn Nguyen, 23, and the shooting and blinding of Xiu Han, 32, that happened in September 2020.
Williams was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years without the possibility of parole.
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Gwinnett police said Nguyen and Han checked into a Norcross Motel 6 on Sept.6, 2020.
Police said the two met with Williams at the hotel to buy drugs from him.
According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, Williams learned that the victims had a backpack filled with thousands of dollars and decided he was going to rob them.
The DA said Williams sold the pair crack cocaine and even offered to call a stripper to dance and have sex.
Officials said the victims went to pick up Mary Jo Tarr in Han’s car and came back to the hotel room. Williams went into the bathroom while Tarr distracted the victims. Williams then pulled out a handgun and told the victims to give him the backpack of cash.
When Nguyen tried to fight Williams to protect his money, Williams shot Nguyen in the face and the temple, killing him, the DA said. Williams then shot Han in the temple as well. Han survived but was permanently blinded, according to authorities.
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Williams and Tarr left the hotel and drove with Williams’ girlfriend and children to Wilmington, N.C. Tarr eventually separated from the family and found a place to stay where she confessed to the homeowner, the DA said.
Police said they later received an anonymous call detailing Tarr’s confession, which also named William’s girlfriend.
During the trial, prosecutors showed that police were able to identify Williams from face recognition software on his girlfriend’s social media account. Prosecutors also revealed that investigators found fingerprints belonging to Tarr and Williams in Han’s car.
Tarr testified during the trial, and police identified the video footage that supported her story and contradicted the story Williams provided when investigators interviewed him.
“This heinous robbery scheme caused irreparable damage to these victims and to their families,” said Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “Though the verdict won’t make these victims and their families whole, we hope that justice will help bring them solace.”
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