TROY, Ala. – The Troy Police Department has released the identities of three men killed in a series of shootings on Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Troy, Alabama. The deceased have been identified as Jonathan Rayvon Williams, 23, of Troy, Christopher Stanford, 42, of Ozark, and Aquantis Thomas, 33, of Troy. All three men were found dead from gunshot wounds in incidents that occurred within close proximity.
Following a thorough investigation, including autopsies, the Troy Police Department has determined that Jonathan Rayvon Williams was responsible for the deaths of Christopher Stanford and Aquantis Thomas before taking his own life. The sequence of events began around 10:25 p.m. when officers responded to a report of a man lying in the roadway in the 100 block of New Street. There, they discovered Aquantis Thomas, who had been fatally shot.
While investigating the initial scene, officers were directed to a nearby residence on New Street, where they found Christopher Stanford, also deceased from gunshot wounds. Witnesses reported that Thomas’s vehicle, a gray Nissan Altima, had been stolen from the scene.
Shortly after, police received a report of a vehicle matching the description of the stolen Altima abandoned on North Three Notch Street near Needmore Road. Upon arrival, officers found Jonathan Rayvon Williams dead in the driver’s seat from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to the Troy Police Department, Williams forcibly entered Stanford’s home and shot him before proceeding up the street, where he encountered Thomas sitting in his girlfriend’s Nissan Altima. Williams then shot Thomas, removed him from the vehicle, and fled in the car.
The motive for the shootings remains unclear, and authorities have stated there appears to be no known connection between Williams and the two victims. The Troy Police Department is continuing its investigation in collaboration with the Pike County District Attorney’s Office, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Pike County Coroner’s Office, and Troy University Police to ensure all details are thoroughly examined.