Richmond police have charged three men in a burglary at the home of Matthew Henry Williams and described the suspects on Saturday as “persons of interest” in Williams’ disappearance.
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Also Saturday, Williams’ family announced it is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that helps locate Williams, whom police suspect is a victim of foul play. He has been missing since Tuesday night.
His aunt, Debbie Owens, speaking to reporters at Richmond police headquarters Saturday, pleaded with the public to provide information on Williams’ whereabouts. She also made a tearful appeal to Williams, 23, to contact his family if he is able to do so.
“Matthew, when you see this, hear this, please call us and reach out to us,” said Owens, her voice shaking as she stood beside several family members. “We want you to come home. We’re all here and we’re waiting to hear from you. We love you and we miss you, and we’re worried about you. Please contact us. Please come home.”
Richmond police Lt. Emmett Williams, who is acting captain of the Major Crimes Division, confirmed Saturday that investigators have charged three men with conspiracy to commit burglary of Matthew Williams’ apartment at the Lofts at Canal Walk at 1900 E. Cary St.
The acting captain declined to identify the suspects, who were captured on surveillance video at the apartment building, or provide any comment on their relationship with the missing man.
“They are and will remain persons of interest in the disappearance of Matthew,” he said.
He added that the search for Williams remains focused within the city limits and that investigators have looked in the area of Kanawha Canal and along the James River.
“I won’t talk about the specific leads,” the acting captain said. “I can say we’ve developed a very, very clear and concise timeline of his whereabouts as he moved through the city that night, and we’re following them closely. And it’s continuing to develop as we speak now.”
Williams relocated to Richmond from the Raleigh, N.C., area a few weeks ago for a job as a trust assistant at Wells Fargo. He was known to frequent bars near his apartment and has been described by people who met him as very outgoing and eager to make friends. He often would buy drinks for people he had just met and sometimes boasted that he made a lot of money, according to employees at one of the bars, The Lucky Buddha.
Police said Williams’ mother last spoke with him about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. That is around the time Williams left The Lucky Buddha with two other men, said Matt Busch, managing partner of the bar on East Cary Street, just east of 14th Street.
Surveillance pictures show Williams and three other men entering his apartment building at 10 p.m. and show Williams and the three men leaving the building about an hour later.
“There’s no indication at this point that he was under any duress,” said Emmett Williams, the acting captain.
Police said surveillance images also show two of the same men returning about 1 a.m. without Matthew Williams and breaking into his apartment, and then leaving with his TV and a video game console.
Williams is 6 feet tall, about 180 pounds, and fair-skinned with auburn-red hair and blue eyes.
“He is an energetic, larger-than-life young man who’s a friend to everyone he meets,” Owens said.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call a police tips line at (804) 514-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. Information can be texted to Crime Stoppers at 274637 using the keyword “iTip” followed by the tip.
