PORTLAND, Maine — Two people have been indicted on charges related to the unsolved killing of Frank Williams, who was found dead on Fox Street in the early morning hours of Aug. 16, 2008.
Portland police held a press conference Tuesday afternoon, where they announced the developments in the case.
Shane Hall, 37, and Khang Tran, 30, were indicted by a grand jury on Friday, Dec. 8, and have both been charged with murder, Interim Assistant Police Chief Robert Martin said at the press conference.
Hall and Tran are both incarcerated for crimes not related to Williams' death. Tran is being held at a federal prison in Louisiana, and Hall is being held at the Maine State Prison, according to a news release issued by the department shortly after the press conference ended.
Williams, who was 37, was found beaten and stabbed to death at a soccer field on Fox Street. Witnesses at the time reportedly told police they saw the assault take place, and the call to 911 described a crowd on the soccer field where a man was being beaten, according to previous NEWS CENTER Maine reporting.
The man later identified as Williams apparently was able to climb through a hole in the chain link fence and collapsed. He was found by an emergency medical team who brought him to Maine Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
Interim Assistant Police Chief Robert Martin told reporters at the press conference that officers made contact with members of Williams' family as the case came to a head.
"To be able to, especially, solve a cold case, and be able to look the family in the eye, it’s very important," Martin said.
In August of this year, the FBI announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects. The reward remains active, Martin said Tuesday.
Police ask that anyone with information relating to the case to call investigators Det. Hagerty at 207-874-8602 or Det. Townsend at 207-874-8606. Anonymous tips can be called in or texted at 207-405-0929.
Martin credited the devotion and dedication of the detectives working on the unsolved cases. In the Williams case, specifically, he lauded the detectives who originally worked the case in 2008, as well as his current peers.
"I think the devotion and dedication of the detectives is what made this come to fruition," he said. "They have sacrificed family time of their own to make this happen."
Portland police said investigations continue for 12 unsolved homicide cases dating back to 1985.
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