This past Friday, Cherokee County, Alabama District Attorney Summer Summerford announced that Eric Kyle Hooper was found guilty of murder by a Cherokee County jury for the 2022 death of Lachancey Williams.

The body of Williams was discovered on March 15, 2022, in a toolbox during road work in Polk County, Georgia, and was identified as having two shotgun wounds.

The investigation, conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and local police, revealed that the crime occurred in Cherokee County, Alabama. A crucial piece of evidence was a fingerprint found on the duct tape around the body, which matched Hooper’s prints, leading to his arrest.

The trial included jury selection starting on January 13, 2025, and concluded with closing arguments on January 22, 2025. The jury delivered a guilty verdict on January 23, 2025. Hooper faces a sentencing hearing in February, with a possible sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison. His conviction marks a significant moment for Cherokee County, now free of pending murder cases for the first time in years.