Georgia man accused of hiring hitman in deadly car dealership shooting to appear in Texas court

SNELLVILLE, Ga. - A Georgia man who allegedly hired a hitman to murder his ex-girlfriend will make his first appearance before a Texas court this week.

Friday, authorities took 41-year-old Stoney Williams into custody in connection with a deadly shooting at a used car dealership in Gwinnett County.

On the afternoon of Dec. 9, 2022, police responded to the parking lot of the Royal Court Motors car dealership on Centerville Highway after a bystander called 911 to report a shooting.

Stoney Williams, 41-years-old from Conyers, wanted for a deadly Snellville shooting. (Gwinnett County Police Department)

At the scene, police say they found 34-year-old Snellville resident Courtney Owens shot to death. Owens was an employee at the dealership.

A witness told police that the suspect, who officers believe to be 23-year-old Wesley Vickers, walked into the business that day and Owens.

Wesley Vickers (Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department) (Supplied)

"It's a possibility that the suspect may have been known to the victim and or the business itself," said Corp. Ryan Winderweedle with the Gwinnett County Police Department at the time.

Vickers had been taken into custody by the Gwinnett County Sheriff's fugitive unit in January. Days after his arrest, police said they were searching for Williams, who they say is known by a dozen other names including Sherrod Eric Henry, Jaheim Lamar, Lawrence Tyrell Robinson, and X Superman.

Williams is facing charges that include malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault.

Gwinnett County police investigate the death of a woman at a car dealership near the corner of Centerville Highway and Annistown Road on Dec. 9, 2022. (FOX 5)

After his arrest last week, Williams was scheduled to make his first appearance in Texas Monday morning. That hearing has been pushed back to Tuesday.

Police will then extradite him to Georgia to face charges.