A man accused of shooting and killing his estranged girlfriend in front of her two children at a cemetery in Florida in 2021 was arrested in Mexico after a TikTok video led to someone reporting his whereabouts.
Benjamin Robert Williams, also known as “Bambi”, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and returned to the United States. He is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse.
The incident occurred on July 31, 2021, when Williams allegedly convinced his estranged girlfriend, Joana Peca, to meet him at a cemetery so he could see his infant son. When she arrived, Peca sat in the van while holding their baby. Williams then allegedly shot Peca multiple times in the face and killed her, while their other child was in the backseat of the vehicle.
Police had been searching for Williams for three and a half years and obtained an arrest warrant. Investigators from several agencies also offered a reward of up to $25,000 for any information leading to his arrest.
A TikTok video featuring a shared local news story about the shooting was viewed by someone who contacted the St. Petersburg Police Department with a tip that Williams was living in Mexico. Investigators contacted the U.S. Marshals Service, who took Williams into custody and returned him to the U.S.
Williams is currently being held in the Pinellas County Jail without bond. He has a lengthy criminal history, with arrests dating back to 2007 for various charges including drug possession, tampering with evidence, and resisting arrest.