Man says Atlanta child murders suspect was no threat, says he's innocent

ATLANTA — A metro man who says he spent hours with the main suspect in the Atlanta Child Murders now says the man in jail is innocent of those crimes.

Wayne Williams is currently in prison, found guilty in the killing of two adults. He has been the prime suspect in the disappearance and killing of dozens of Atlanta children for decades.

Jimmy Howard told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that he was with Williams when authorities took him into custody for questioning just weeks before his murder arrest. He said he never worried about safety when he was with Williams.

“I never feared Wayne,” Howard said.

Derwin Davis tells a very different story.

“I never forget the face of the big frame glasses, the small Afro,” Davis said.

Both men – now middle aged -- said they were about 14 years old when they had encounters with Williams.

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“You believe Wayne Williams is innocent?” Winne asked Howard.

“Absolutely. Without a doubt,” Howard said.

Winne met Howard through Antonio Moses, who said he's working on a documentary about Williams and about the two dozen children who disappeared or were found murdered 40 years ago.

Williams was convicted of killing two adults and has remained a suspect in the murders of the children.

Moses told Winne he's spoken to Williams by phone several times recently.

“He has nothing to do with the missing and murdered children,” Moses said.

Howard said he was in a singing group called Gemini that Williams was promoting.

“Did he ever make advances to you?” Winne asked Howard.

“No sir, never a day in his life. Always been good to me,” Howard said.

A 1982 Atlanta Constitution story said three members of Gemini, including Howard, testified that Williams recruited them for the group and never made any unusual sexual statements to them.

“When people make mention of Wayne Williams and the fact that they believe it’s some kind of conspiracy to put this man away, it always bothers me because no one knows my truth,” Davis said. “I never will forget the words he said.”

Davis told Winne that he was on his way to a skating rink when he accepted a ride from a stranger who tried to grope him.

“I elbowed him in the mouth, grabbed the door handle at the same time. I fell out of the car on Campbellton Road.

He said a kid he knew from the skating rink didn’t show up that night and was eventually considered one of the missing and murdered.

Davis said he didn’t tell his parents.

“I had taken a ride from a stranger, which is a no-no in my family,” Davis said.

Many months later after the arrest, Davis said he recognized Williams as the driver that night.

Defense attorney Lee Sexton said Williams is presumed innocent of Davis' allegations.

Davis was in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story this year. AJC reporter Joshua Sharpe said three people confirmed Davis told them his story over the years.

Cox Media Group