Murder suspect James Stevens

The suspect in the December 10 murder of city resident Jasper Williams was apprehended halfway across the country in West Texas.

In a press release late Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 28, the East Providence Police Department announced James Stevens was arrested by the United States Marshals Task Force in El Paso, the far-flung Texas city that borders Mexico.

Mr. Stevens, 29 and of Providence, had been at large since the night of the incident, during which he stabbed Mr. Williams multiple times to the head and chest near the latter's home at the intersection of Lyon and Warren Avenues in city.

Mr. Williams, 24, was transported to hospital where he remained in intensive care on life support until he succumbed to the injuries on Thursday, Dec. 15. The charges against Mr. Stevens were raised to murder at that time.

Two days after the incident, East Providence Police held a press conference announcing Mr. Stevens as the suspect. They released a photograph of the subject and a description of the vehicle he was believed to be driving, a white Jeep Cherokee SUV.

Since, EPPD detectives in cooperation with the state division of the US Marshals, the R.I. Violent Fugitive Task Force, the R.I. Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked collaboratively to locate the suspect.

EPPD detectives will be traveling to El Paso to continue the investigation with Texas authorities. Mr. Stevens will be brought back to Rhode Island to face murder charges.