A 19-year-old man has been charged in connection with the alleged 2022 murder of a missing Berkley teen who was found shot to death inside a car on Detroit’s west side.
Russell Douglas Williams Jr., 19, was charged with felony murder, second-degree murder, car-jacking, and robbery in connection to Janiya Brown’s death. According to court records, Williams was denied bond during his arraignment.
Janiya Brown, 15, went missing since April 2022, after running away from her aunt’s home in Berkley just days after moving there from Cleveland, Ohio. Her body was discovered in a black Chevrolet Malibu on May 11, 2022, in an alley off Burnett Street near Joy Road and Livernois Avenue. She had been shot multiple times.
The Malibu had been reported stolen following a car-jacking just two days earlier. A 20-year-old man told investigators he picked up a young woman—believed to be Janiya Brown—after meeting her on social media. He said she asked to stop and use the restroom near the 23700 block of Clarita Street. When she stepped away, two armed men approached, robbed him, and stole his vehicle. The victim complied and all three suspects fled in the car.
Janiya Brown body was found inside the same stolen vehicle, leading investigators to connect the incidents.
At the time of her disappearance, Brown had only been in Michigan for a few days. Her family said after the incident they hoped the move would give her a fresh start away from a troubling environment in Cleveland. But shortly after arriving, she left home and began using social media, despite her phone being disconnected.
Anyone with additional information is can contact Detroit Police homicide 313-596-2260 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers online or via phone.
