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Criminal Records - Most Wanted |
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Profile |
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Name: William R. Ward
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Race: White |
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Age Now: 55 |
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Height: 6' |
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Weight: 206 lbs. |
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Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Brown
Ward's hair is turning gray and he is partially bald. |
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Eyes (Color and Correction): Brown |
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Wanted for :
Bench Warrant For Arrest, Fayette County, WV;
Jan 23, 2007
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Location(s) |
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Last Seen : Wayne County, WV
Police say Ward was last seen in Wayne County, W.Va. |
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Possible Location : West Virginia
Police say Ward has threatened to kill any witnesses who testified against him -- and many of them live in Wayne County. |
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Last Known : Boone County, WV
Police say Ward was living with his mother in Boone County, W.Va. trailer park community during his trial. |
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Traits |
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Case Story |
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Sexual Predator Goes To Trial |
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Police in West Virginia thought a convicted child sex offender's life of predatory behavior was coming to an end -- but now they say it could just be the beginning.
In 2004, police arrested 53-year-old William Ward on six disgusting charges -- two counts each of First-degree Sexual Assault, Incest, and Sexual Abuse by a Guardian. His victim was one of his family members -- and the rest of the family was justifiably livid.
Police say Ward's daughter was especially haunted by the abuse. According to police, Ward's daughter had herself grown up a victim of the rapist's abuse, and cops say she knew it was time to put an end to Ward's alleged reign of terror over the family.
Ward's Family Speaks Out
Under West Virginia law, if other victims were molested by a charged defendant, their testimony can be introduced to prove a record of child sexual abuse. Cops say Ward's daughter's courage inspired yet another alleged victim to step forward to announce her desire to testify -- Ward's sister-in-law.
With Ward's own family members testifying against him, police knew they had a good case against the rapist and could present a history of predatory behavior.
For two years, Ward remained out of jail on bond for his crimes. Each time the trial neared, extenuating circumstances postponed the proceedings. But on January 22, 2007, the trial finally began. |
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Threats Against Those Who Testified |
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Police say Ward watched as his own family members testified against him. If convicted, he would have to serve between 60 and 140 years. Police say it may have finally dawned on him just how serious the charges were, because when it came time for the second day of trial to begin, Ward was a no-show. The court convicted him in absentia of all six charges and issued a Bench Warrant for his arrest.
Cops raced to his last known address -- a trailer park community in Boone County, W.Va., where he was staying with his mother in the days leading up to the trail. But Ward was nowhere to be found, and the news only got worse from there.
According to police, Ward had told his wife several days prior to the trial that he would not go to jail. Instead, cops say Ward threatened to hunt down and kill anyone who testified against him. |
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Former Correctional Officer And Sex Offender Wants To Avoid Jail |
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Police are growing increasingly concerned that Ward may make good on his threats. They say Ward visited his daughter's house in Wayne County, W.Va. the day he didn't show up for trial, but she wasn't home. The next night, police say Ward was spotted using a payphone in the same area -- leading police to fear the worst.
According to police, Ward's is not the behavior of the typical fugitive. They're worried because Ward is staying in the same county as those who testified against him instead of getting as far away from police as possible. Cops say Ward does have at least one gun in his possession and should be considered extremely dangerous.
Police say there are several reasons why Ward may desperately want to avoid going to jail. He was a correctional officer at Mount Olive Correctional Complex in W.Va. -- and cops say it's likely that Ward will serve his sentence at the same facility when he's found. Police say Ward's status as a former correctional officer and convicted sex offender make him a natural target for other inmates' aggression. |
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