Murder charges dropped against Savannah suspect after 2 years

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A man once charged in a deadly 2024 shooting is no longer facing prosecution after all charges against him were formally dropped, according to court records.

Documents show that Leearnell Williams, who was 34 at the time of his arrest, had been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and multiple firearms offenses, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He was charged with shooting and killing 37-year-old Bilal Williamson.

Williams was scheduled for a status hearing on the 17th. Instead, records indicate the case was “nolle prosequi,” meaning prosecutors chose not to move forward.

The court ordered Williams to be released on time served.

It remains unclear why prosecutors dismissed the charges. Court documents state only that the decision was made “for sufficient cause shown in this court,” and the order was signed by Judge James Bass.

The charges stemmed from a March 9, 2024 shooting in the 200 block of West 61st Street.

Savannah Police responded to a ShotSpotter alert around 10 p.m. and found a man suffering from a serious gunshot wound.

The victim, identified as 37-year-old Bilal Jabbar Williamson, was transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

His family had the following statement in Bilal’s obituary:

Williams was arrested in connection with the case and remained in custody for roughly two years before the charges were dropped.

As of now, no further information has been released regarding the decision to discontinue prosecution or whether the case could be revisited in the future.

We have reached out to the District Attorney’s office for more details.