On Friday night, June 7, 2024, after a four-day trial, an Arlington jury found James R. Williams guilty of the March 25, 2023, murder of Sean Bowman. The jury also convicted Williams of using a firearm in the commission of the murder.

On the night of March 24, 2023, and into the early hours of March 25, 2023, Sean Bowman was at an apartment in the Buckingham neighborhood of Arlington County. During the night, Mr. Williams, a known drug dealer in the area, entered the apartment while Mr. Bowman was sleeping. Witnesses testified that Williams searched Bowman’s pockets, accusing him of stealing drugs. Williams then drew a firearm from his jacket and shot Bowman twice—once in the cheek and once in the temple. Mr. Bowman’s body was discovered several days later.

The Arlington County Police Department conducted a thorough investigation, including crime scene analysis, fingerprint examination, surveillance footage recovery, and forensic DNA testing.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti commented, “This conviction cannot bring Mr. Bowman back to his family. However, our office is grateful for the jury’s careful consideration of all the evidence and their verdict. Our hearts go out to Sean’s family, and we hope this verdict provides them with some measure of closure as they begin their healing journey.”

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 22, 2024, in the Arlington County Circuit Court. Williams faces up to 40 years in prison for the charge of second-degree murder and an additional 3 years for using a firearm in the commission of a murder