The man who a witness and family members say shot and killed Joel Williams last summer in Somerville will not be charged with a crime, state prosecutors said.
The shooting death of Joel Williams, 48, of Somerville, was deemed a homicide as a result of gunshot wounds by the Office of the State Medical Examiner in July.
Joel Williams is seen in an undated photo provided by his family for his obituary. He was killed during a confrontation last June, and state prosecutors have announced they will not bring charges in the case. Photo courtesy of Joel Williams’ family
Police said Williams was killed June 30, 2021, during a confrontation at a home on Rockland Road in Somerville where he was staying at the time.
Also injured in the altercation was Kyle Hunt, then 31 and living in Jefferson. A witness at the time, who declined to speak on the record, suggested a self-defense motive in the shooting by saying that Hunt was stabbed by Williams, and then shot Williams, killing him.
The shooting death of Williams was presented to a Lincoln County Grand Jury in November and the grand jury late last year declined to indict Hunt on any charges, according to Nicole Sacre, a spokesperson for the state Office of the Maine Attorney General.
Sacre said there will be no criminal charges stemming from the shooting death of Williams. She said the AG’s office could not provide any additional information.
Williams’ family said they are angry that Hunt hasn’t been charged in connection with Joel Williams’ death.
“We’re angry he hasn’t been charged with murder,” Cathy Williams said. “And my son, a deceased man, can’t talk, he can’t tell his side. Of course we, the family, believe he (Hunt) shot my son. Do we believe my son was at fault? No, we do not. Do we believe he had to shoot my son? No. Joel was threatened, as far as we’re concerned.”
Williams said her son, who had a long beard and practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Kempo martial arts and loved to ride his motorcycle, was burly, fun-loving, funny, and kind.
“Joel was fun-loving, a burly bear, he just loved people,” Cathy Williams said of her late son. “He had a lot of friends, he was comical, with a dry humor, he was an all-around fun guy, he really was. He had a motorcycle he loved to ride. He took me on his bike a few times, he was proud of his mom, and he loved his dad.”
He had an adult son and daughter, and two grandchildren. He was a member of the Masons organization, and a medical marijuana grower and business owner.
Hunt could not be reached for comment this week and his defense attorney, Darrick Banda, said he didn’t have authorization from his client to make a statement on the case.
Police said Williams was discovered dead the morning of June 30, 2021, outside 1041 Rockland Road, which is also state Route 17, in Somerville. Cathy Williams said her son had been staying there while growing medical marijuana, for which she said he had a license to do as a business. An altercation at that site was reported to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
A witness told the Kennebec Journal at the time that Williams and Hunt were the two men involved in the altercation. The witness said the men were arguing outside the residence, regarding whether Hunt could shower at the property.
Police located Hunt a short distance away from the site of the altercation on Valley Road. He was treated and released from MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta that day, according to Shannon Moss, Maine State Police spokesperson.
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