A jury today found Semmie Lee Williams Jr. guilty of second-degree murder in the senseless killing of 14-year-old Ryan Rogers, the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office announces.

“Today’s guilty verdict holds the defendant accountable for Ryan’s murder,” said State Attorney Alexcia Cox. “While no verdict can ever ease the pain of losing a child, I hope this outcome brings some measure of justice to Ryan’s family and to a community that has carried this tragedy for too long.”

The evidence at trial showed that Ryan was randomly attacked while riding his bicycle near his home in Palm Beach Gardens on November 15, 2021, when Williams — an individual with no connection to the victim or the community — stabbed him repeatedly.

“Ryan Rogers was a mile and a half from his home, on an evening bike ride,” Assistant State Attorney Jo Wilensky told the jury. “Unfortunately he was on a violent collision course with this defendant. That violent collision course ended his life, because this defendant violently and viciously attacked him.”

The prosecution presented extensive witness testimony, DNA evidence, and surveillance video in support of the conviction.

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s detectives assigned to this investigation had a critical role in identifying and apprehending the defendant and in assembling the evidence that led to the verdict. The State Attorney’s Office extends its appreciation to the detectives for their professionalism and dedication.

“I am grateful for the tireless work and unwavering commitment of Assistant State Attorneys Jo Wilensky and Richard Clausi, as well as our dedicated support staff and law enforcement partners who worked relentlessly to see justice done in this case,” State Attorney Cox said.

Sentencing is pending; the maximum possible sentence is life in prison.

The State Attorney’s Office remains committed to seeking justice on behalf of victims and their families throughout Palm Beach County and will continue working closely with law enforcement to hold violent offenders accountable.