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St. Pete’s ‘most wanted’ murder suspect arrested in Mexico
A man St. Petersburg police say is responsible for killing his estranged girlfriend in front of her two young children was arrested in Mexico after a three-and-a-half-year search.
Police Chief Anthony Holloway announced Tuesday that Benjamin “Bambi” Williams was no longer the city’s “most wanted” fugitive. He was charged with the 1st-degree murder of 27-year-old Joana Peca and two counts of child abuse.
Holloway credited social media and community vigilance for Williams awaiting arraignment in the Pinellas County Jail without bond. Police say he shot Peca multiple times in the face while she held his infant son.
“Our federal partners ensured that a dangerous criminal no longer poses a threat to the community and, most importantly, the family,” Holloway said. “They were nervous that he was going to come back and try to harm them.”
According to police, Williams convinced Peca to meet him at the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery to see his 4-month-old son. Another 4-year-old child from a previous relationship sat in the back seat.
The children watched as Williams opened fire from close range. Holloway said the kids were unharmed but likely traumatized from the “horrendous” act.
“Witnesses rushed to the scene to try to see if they could help Joana (Peca), and as they moved her forward, that’s when they realized she was still holding a four-month-old baby,” Holloway explained. “I can’t even imagine … the emotional toll the 4-year-old is facing today.”
Williams left the kids in the car as he fled the scene and the area. Federal agencies offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
The infamous case entered the national consciousness again in November 2022. The true-crime television show In Pursuit with John Walsh highlighted the local hunt for Williams.
Social media platform TikTok helped bring Williams to justice. Holloway said a woman watched the video – a repost of a clip from a local news broadcast – last week and called St. Petersburg police with a tip that their fugitive was living in Mexico.
Detectives contacted the U.S. Marshals Service, who attended Tuesday’s media briefing. A detective and Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy met marshals in Miami over Thanksgiving weekend to transport Williams back to jail.
Eleni Peca, the victim’s mother, said she and her family felt safer with Benjamin Williams in custody. Screengrab.
Eleni Peca, the victim’s mother, also attended the media briefing. Holloway acknowledged that nothing would “replace the loss of your daughter, but at least we have a dangerous person off the street.”
“He’s (Williams) behind bars where he belongs,” Holloway added. “He took a mom and a daughter away. I always say I don’t like social media … but this time, I’m in love with social media. He would have still been on the run, but that good Samaritan saw him.”
Peca expressed gratitude for those who helped bring Williams to justice. She called his arrest an early Christmas present for her family.
Peca said she felt a combination of happiness and pain as the fugitive’s apprehension reminded her of life experiences she would never share with her daughter. However, she found solace in knowing that “starting today, Benjamin Williams’ freedom is over.”
“He is not going to see daylight again,” Peca continued. “The community will be safe without him. I’ll be safe without him. My kids will be safe without him.”
Williams has an extensive rap sheet with about 40 local arrests dating back to 2007. His charges included aggravated battery and armed robbery.
St. Petersburg police have also linked Williams to several other open homicide investigations. Holloway said detectives will now interview the former fugitive about those cases, and he hopes the community can provide new information.
“A lot of people, back then, were afraid of him,” Holloway said. “So, hopefully, these people come forward and tell us about other crimes he committed – either in our city or the Tampa Bay area.”
