Philadelphia woman wanted for New Year’s Eve murder in Lower Merion

LOWER MERION TWP, PA – Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Merion Township Police Superintendent Michael J. McGrath announce that an arrest warrant has been issued for Samiyah Williams, 24, of Locust Street in Philadelphia, for the murder of 49-year-old Adrionne Reaves on Dec. 31, 2021 in the Bala Cynwyd section of Lower Merion. This is the 20th homicide in Montgomery County in 2021.

At 9:55 p.m., Lower Merion Police responded to a reported shooting in the lobby of the Delwyn Apartments at 20 St. Asaphs Road. Upon arrival, officers found Reaves dead from a gunshot wound to the head. When the murder scene was processed, a single 9mm Luger cartridge case was found.

Montgomery County Detectives and Lower Merion Police launched a joint investigation into the homicide. They found that one of the responding Lower Merion officers had been called to the Delwyn Apartments parking lot at 8:29 p.m. that night for a domestic dispute involving Reaves and his fiancé, Joi Furman. The two told the officer that the dispute was verbal, and they agreed to separate for the night.

Following the homicide, the investigation found that Reaves had called his daughter to pick him up after the incident by the nearby Lord & Taylor store. They then returned to the parking lot of the apartment complex to look for his misplaced keys where they encountered Joi Furman and her mother, Florence Furman, who had responded to the location after the domestic dispute. Lobby surveillance video shows all of the women and Reaves walking through the lobby of the apartment building when Reaves collapses to the floor. Seconds later, a thin person dressed in black with a dark hood pulled up exits the lobby and leaves the area.

Further investigation revealed that Samiyah Williams is the daughter of Joi Furman. Willliams lives with her grandmother and responded with her to the apartment building after Joi Furman called them earlier, saying Reaves “laid hands on her.” Detectives found that Williams owns a 9 mm semi-automatic Walther handgun and has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm in Philadelphia. Williams’ height and build is the same as the person seen in surveillance video.

An arrest warrant on charges of First-Degree Murder, Third-Degree Murder and Possessing an Instrument of Crime has been issued for Samiyah Williams. Williams has brown hair and brown eyes, stands 5-feet tall and weighs approximately 127 pounds. She should be considered armed and dangerous.

If anyone sees Williams, do not approach her and immediately call 911. Anyone with information on Williams’ whereabouts should call Lower Merion Police at 610-649-1000 or Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3386. Anonymous text tips can be submitted using MontcoCrimeTips on the STOPit! app. The STOPit! app can be downloaded for free from the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Androids, then use code MONTCOPA to get the Montgomery County version of the app.