Fugitive Wanted in Iowa Spent Nearly 14 Years as a San Diego Chef Before Federal Agents Found Him

San Diego, California — A man wanted in connection with an alleged kidnapping, assault and shooting in Iowa spent nearly 14 years living under an assumed name in San Diego, where authorities say he worked as a chef and even appeared in local media before federal agents finally tracked him down.

Brian Anthony Williams, 50, was arrested Tuesday after U.S. Marshals located him at a business in the 3700 block of Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach.

Authorities say Williams had been living under the name “Troy Williams” and had established a life in San Diego while remaining wanted in Iowa.

Fugitive Allegedly Fled Iowa in 2013

Williams had been wanted since a 2012 case in Davenport, Iowa, involving the alleged kidnapping and shooting of a woman.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Williams and other alleged coconspirators kidnapped a woman, assaulted her and shot her before leaving her in a field in northwest Davenport.

Williams was subsequently charged with first-degree kidnapping, assault causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit a felony and first-degree arson. He also faced a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Authorities say Williams fled Iowa in 2013, beginning a period in which he remained outside the reach of law enforcement for nearly 14 years.

He Built a New Life Under an Assumed Name

By the time investigators received a tip in September, authorities say Williams had been living openly in San Diego as Troy Williams. He was reportedly working as a chef, and investigators discovered that the man had not completely disappeared from public view.

Federal authorities found local publications and television news reports featuring a man they believe was Williams while using the assumed identity.

One profile published by the Times of San Diego identified Troy Williams as the head chef at Miss B’s Coconut Club.

The profile reportedly described his upbringing in New York City’s Queensbridge Housing Project and included his accounts of overcoming police assaults, racial discrimination and poverty.

According to federal authorities, however, the man appearing in those reports as Troy Williams was actually Brian Anthony Williams, the Iowa fugitive who had remained wanted for years.

Federal Investigators Unraveled the Identity

The discovery of Williams’ apparent San Diego life helped investigators connect the assumed identity to the fugitive wanted in Iowa.

The Marshals Service said Williams had remained a fugitive for nearly 14 years, despite appearing in Quad Cities news coverage as a most-wanted fugitive and remaining listed through the agency’s Southern District of Iowa resources.

That public trail ultimately became part of the investigation that led authorities to San Diego.

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Federal agents eventually located Williams at a business in Mission Beach on Tuesday, bringing his years-long period of alleged evasion to an end.

U.S. Marshals Say the Arrest Sends a Message

U.S. Marshal Ted Kamatchus of the Southern District of Iowa described the arrest as an example of law enforcement continuing to pursue fugitives even after years have passed.

“This arrest is a perfect example of those who think they have bested law enforcement and evaded arrest,” US Marshal Ted Kamatchus of the Southern District of Iowa said. “Deputy US Marshals remain resolute in their relentless pursuit of the most dangerous offenders in our society.”

The arrest also highlights how investigators can use information from seemingly ordinary public appearances to help identify people who have allegedly spent years attempting to avoid capture.

Williams Expected to Return to Iowa

Williams is expected to be extradited to Iowa, where he will face the charges stemming from the 2012 Davenport case.

His arrest ends a nearly 14-year period during which authorities say he successfully lived under another identity and established a career in San Diego.

The allegations against Williams remain allegations, and the charges from the Iowa case will now move forward through the legal process.

What do you think about this unusual fugitive case? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know what stands out most about how authorities eventually tracked him down.