ODESSA, Texas — UPDATE: 31-year-old Larry Ashton Johnson has been arrested and charged with the murder of 36-year-old Crystal Williams.
Johnson was also charged with tampering with physical evidence.
According to the arrest affidavit, Odessa Police Department officers responded to a check welfare located at the Faudree Apartments. Upon their arrival, officers found out that Williams' friend had not heard from her in days and was concerned since this was unlike her.
Officers entered the residence and found Williams laying on the bathroom floor dead. They found a bullet projectile on the floor near Williams, and due to the condition of the body, it was apparent that she had been dead for at least 24 hours.
During the investigating, the friend of Williams said Williams was dating Larry Ashton Johnson. Officers made contact with Johnson, and he allowed them to look at his phone. Officers found deleted videos by Johnson that were related to an argument that Williams and himself had.
In the videos, Williams appears to be wearing the same clothes she was wearing when officers found her dead, and that the videos showed Williams in the same area where she was found.
Johnson was interviewed on April 27 and said he was in an argument with Williams and immediately left after he recorded the videos.
When detectives asked some tenants about the night of April 25, they said they heard a bang, but thought it was the clothes dryer.
A known associate of Johnson said he had seen Johnson with a gun in his pants or a black backpack before. Detectives found no discharged cartridge casing in the apartment during their search.
After going through the rest of the phone calls from that night, and the facts of the situation, detectives believed that Johnson did knowingly and intentionally cause the death of Williams, as well as tamper with evidence by concealing William's Apple phone.
Johnson is currently booked into the Midland County Jail and no bond has been set.
We will continue to update this story as we receive more information.
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The Odessa Police Department is investigating a criminal homicide that happened at Faudree Ranch Apartments on Thursday.
According to OPD, officers responded to a welfare check call at 2741 Faudree Road. Upon arrival, they found 36-year-old Crystal Williams dead in her apartment from a gunshot wound.
Investigators are currently working several leads and they said any assistance from the public would be greatly appreciated.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Odessa Police Department Homicide Unit at 432-335-3333 or Crimestoppers at 432-333-TIPS.