A Florida woman will likely face multiple decades in prison for the death of a deputy, despite the fact that she did not fire the fatal shot.
On Thursday, a Polk County jury found Cheryl Lynn Williams, 49, guilty of all counts against her, including second-degree murder, resisting an officer without violence, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of methamphetamine.
In October 2022, the defendant was arrested on 13 felony charges after Polk County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Blane Lane, 21, was killed by friendly fire while serving a felony arrest warrant on Williams at her home in Polk City, a small town about 40 miles southwest of Orlando.
At the time of the incident, Williams was wanted for failing to appear in court on a drug possession charge, according to law enforcement.
Lane and three others – Sergeant Michael Brooks, Deputies Johnny Holsonback III, and Adam Pennell – arrived around 3 a.m. on October 4, 2022, and quickly determined Williams was somewhere in the back of the residence, according to a witness on the scene.
A second witness then allegedly said, “She’s in here,” prompting Lane to take a “tactical” position near the back of the building while the other three deputies entered.
“Lane’s tactical position afforded him the view of the door and windows to ensure that he would see the suspect in the event she tried to flee,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Williams then appeared near a “gaming room” brandishing a “silver handgun,” which was later identified as a “very realistic-looking BB gun,” according to the sheriff’s office. A hail of gunfire erupted. Williams was struck at least twice, but so was Lane once.
The lone bullet entered his arm and traveled into his chest. The deputy, who had been sworn in just a few months before, died at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.
“This suspect’s outrageous criminal actions resulted in the death of my deputy in the line of duty, and the jury appropriately found her guilty as charged,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told St. Petersburg-based CBS affiliate WTSP. “Her family can visit her in prison, whereas Blane’s family must visit his grave in a cemetery and can only have one-sided conversations with him. We will never forget Deputy Blane Lane, and his family is still in our prayers.”
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Williams faces life in prison as a result of his second-degree murder conviction.
WTSP reports that the defendant sat in court and did not express emotion as each conviction was read.
Blane’s mother, on the other hand, was essentially the polar opposite, crying as she accepted the verdict while acknowledging the limitations of formal justice.
“I would love to say there is a sign of relief, but it does not bring him back,” his mother told the TV station. “So, I’m glad she’s finished. “She’s done.”
