Knoxville Police Department, Tennessee
End of Watch: Friday, July 7, 1989
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 7, 1989
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Case solved in 2023
Patrolman Tony Williams was shot in the back and killed while riding his motorcycle home on Cherry Street toward Interstate 40 in Knoxville just before midnight.
It is believed he was shot because he was a police officer. Two men were charged in the murder but released when one of the suspect's case was dismissed.
A few years later, during a secretly taped undercover drug transaction, one of the men implicated the other man in killing Patrolman Williams. He was sentenced to federal prison for cocaine distribution for 41-55 months. The other suspect was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for other crimes.
In 2023, the grand jury found that the subject "did unlawfully, intentionally, deliberately and with premeditation kill Anthony Williams.” The suspect had died in federal prison a month before the grand jury's decision.
Patrolman Williams had served with the Knoxville Police Department for three years. He was survived by his father, ex-wife, aunts, and uncles.