40-year-old Georgia Tradesman Blasted with Shotgun Before Killer Stuffed Him in Toolbox
Left: Eric Kyle Hooper (Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office). Right: LaChancey Williams (Smith & Miller Funeral Home).
Eric Kyle Hooper, 31, has been found guilty of the brutal murder of 40-year-old tradesman Lachancey Williams, whose body was discovered stuffed into a toolbox and abandoned on the side of a road in Polk County, Georgia. Hooper now faces a potential life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for February 7.
The grim discovery was made on March 15, 2022, by road workers conducting routine maintenance on Esom Hill Road, approximately 60 miles west of Atlanta. According to a press release from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Williams’ body was wrapped in a tarp and concealed inside a “black truck toolbox.” An autopsy revealed that the self-employed painter had been shot twice with a shotgun.
Authorities identified the victim as Lachancey Williams after forensic testing at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab. Investigators determined that the murder had occurred across the state border in Cherokee County, Alabama before the body was transported roughly 50 miles to its final resting place in Georgia.
A critical breakthrough in the case came when investigators found a fingerprint on duct tape used to secure the tarp around Williams’ body. The print matched Eric Kyle Hooper, leading to his arrest. Police also relied on “eyewitness statements” to build their case against him.
The trial, presided over by Circuit Judge Shaunathan Bell, began with jury selection on January 13. Over the course of the proceedings, more than 160 exhibits were presented, and numerous witnesses testified, including Hooper himself. Closing arguments concluded on January 22, and the jury returned a guilty verdict the following morning.
District Attorney Summer Summerford praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in securing justice. “I am proud of how the different agencies worked together to ensure justice was served,” she said. “The community can rest well with the knowledge that there are dedicated public servants who devote their time and interest to making sure our citizens are safe.”
Summerford also highlighted a significant milestone for Cherokee County, noting that there are currently no pending intentional murder cases in the jurisdiction for the first time in many years. “It is my hope that those who would commit such atrocities see the writing on the wall and stay out of our jurisdiction,” she added, told Law and Crime.
A spokesperson for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office echoed this sentiment, stating, “The conviction of Hooper marks a historic moment for Cherokee County. This milestone highlights the exceptional efforts of the major crimes unit.”
Lachancey Williams remembered as a generous and passionate individual, was described in an obituary as someone who “never held anything back but would give you the shirt off his back.” An avid Alabama football fan and fishing enthusiast, his untimely death has left a void in the lives of those who knew him.
As the community reflects on this tragic case, the conviction of Eric Kyle Hooper serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of violent crime and the tireless work of law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
