It was the oldest unsolved case in the entire county. The murder case of Hiram "Ross" Grayam, a decorated World War II veteran shot and killed on April 11, 1968, has finally been solved 56 years after the incident, the County Sheriff's Office announced. Indian River, Florida (United States), this Thursday.
It was on the anniversary of the events that the sheriff held a press conference to announce that two people had reported to the authorities to tell them that the main suspect had confessed to having killed Hiram Grayam, reports CNN.
Found dead the day after his disappearance
Hiram Grayam was 47 years old when he was shot. Married and father of three children, he fought for the American army during the Second World War and received the Purple Heart, the military medal awarded by the President of the United States to soldiers wounded or killed in service.
A native of Vero Beach, he never returned from his tour on April 11, 1968, while working as a milkman in the county. He was last seen by a witness talking to two men who then got into his truck, local sheriff Eric Flowers said at a news conference Thursday.
1968 Cold Case Solved - Milkman Homicide In April of 1968, Hiram “Ross” Grayam set out on his familiar milk delivery...
Posted by Indian River County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, April 11, 2024
This same witness told investigators that Hiram Grayam had struck up a conversation with the two men and that he thought he would return shortly. The next day, the body of the former soldier and his truck were found in a wooded area. No less than 16 separate investigations were carried out until 1974 to try to resolve the matter, without success.
A member of his family and his ex-wife confirm his confession
The case was first relaunched in 2006, at the request of the family. Following a media interview with the victim's relatives, a man named Thomas J. Williams wrote to the local newspaper to deny the murder. He explained that he had indeed been accused, but denied any responsibility. While until now the man had fallen into obscurity, his behavior immediately attracted the attention of investigators.
“At that time, he wasn't on anyone's radar,” said Larry Graham, the victim's son, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident. But no evidence has allowed him to be arrested or prosecuted for these facts. Thomas J. Williams ultimately died in 2016.
Hiram Grayam's family could have remained in limbo and waiting for eternity, without counting on the perseverance of Indian River County investigators. An inmate at the local prison actually told them in February 2022 that Thomas J. Williams had confessed to the murder before his death. This inmate was a member of his family, the sheriff said when he spoke.
Investigators then sought confirmation of the information from other relatives of the suspect. His ex-wife ended up confirming to the police that the man had also confessed the facts to her. The inmate and the ex-wife of Thomas J. Williams confirmed they did not speak sooner because the suspect threatened them with retaliation.