Malad man facing felonies following altercation that ended in gunfire

MALAD — A man police say fired a gun inside a home during a scuffle then stole a gun and wallet has been charged with multiple felonies.

Raymond Williams, 55, faces felony charges for aggravated assault, grand theft and unlawful possession of a firearm, court records show.

Oneida County Sheriff deputies responded to a home in Malad around 9:30 p.m. on May 25 following reports of shots being fired, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the caller who said he heard a gunshot inside his neighbor’s home and went to the house in fear that the neighbor had shot himself. As he approached, the caller said two men had left the home, one of whom got in his face and told him, “This has nothing to do with you,” the affidavit says.

Deputies went to the neighbor’s home and spoke with the victim, who said that his wallet and handgun had been taken. The victim showed deputies a spent shell casing from the .40 caliber handgun and a bullet hole in the bathroom door.

The victim told deputies that he had no idea who the two men were.

He said the two men, one of whom was armed with a gun, showed up at his home. The victim said he pulled out his gun, which sent one of the men running. But the man with a gun grabbed the victim’s arm and began to struggle with him.

During the struggle, the victim said, the man, later identified as Williams, fired his own gun toward bathroom door. He then took the victim’s gun and wallet and left in a white pickup truck with dents on the passenger side.

Deputies recalled passing a truck matching that description as they entered the neighborhood.

Deputies went back to the home where they had seen the truck and spoke with Williams — the truck’s registered owner.

According to the affidavit, Williams told officers that he had been home all night. While speaking with Williams, deputies noted that he matched the description provided by both the victim and the witness.

Williams offered to let the deputies search his truck and home.

Deputies did not find anything of note in the truck. However, while searching the yard, deputies found a backpack underneath a lawn mower. When they found the backpack, the affidavit says Williams, who had been with them during the search, walked away.

Inside the backpack was two handguns, ammo and magazines. One of the guns matched the description of the one reported stolen, and one of the magazines was for a .40 cal. The other gun was not a .40 cal, though.

While searching the area, deputies found a male matching the description of the second person involved in the theft, who asked to speak with deputies. After he was identified as a 14-year-old, deputies requested consent from the boy’s mother before getting a statement.

The boy said that he and Williams had gone to the victim’s home that night. He said that while Williams and the victim discussed a separate crime — which is now being investigated, the affidavit says — the victim pulled a gun.

Scared, the boy said he ran away.

Williams was arrested and taken to Caribou County Jail. He posted a $25,000 bond on May 26.

Though Williams has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Williams could face up to 34 years in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in court before magistrate judge David Hooste for a preliminary hearing on June 27.