Suspect Arraigned in Killing of Detroit Radio Anchor

Woman, son remain in hospital after attack
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 24, 2022 3:31 PM CDT
Updated Sep 26, 2022 5:52 PM CDT
Detroit Radio Anchor Killed in His Home, His Children Injured
Jim Matthews   (WWJ/Facebook)

Update: The suspect in the attack on a family Friday that left a Detroit radio news anchor dead was arraigned Monday. Arthur Levan Williamson, 55, was denied bond at the hearing in Macomb County, ClickonDetroit reports. Williamson appeared virtually, and his attorney entered a not guilty plea for him to charges of first-degree murder, premeditated murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment, per WJBK. The condition of a 35-year-old woman injured in the attack has been upgraded from critical, but her 10-year-old son is still listed in critical condition in a hospital. Williamson is scheduled to next be in court on Oct. 5. Our original story from Saturday follows:

Detroit's WWJ Newsradio 950 reported on the violent death of one of its own on Friday. Overnight news anchor Jim Matthews was murdered in his Chesterfield Township residence. NBC News reports his body was discovered around noon after a 35-year-old female—identified by ClickonDetroit as Matthews' girlfriend and the mother of the couple's children—escaped from the same home with stab wounds and their 5-year-old daughter. She stopped a driver who called 911.

Responding officers found the 57-year-old Matthews dead and the couple's other child, a 10-year-old boy, bound and suffering from blunt force trauma. Township Public Safety Director Brian Bassett said the suspect is a 54-year-old man who was found suffering from a self-inflicted wound and a drug overdose in the home's basement. He is hospitalized in stable condition. Basset said the suspect was known to the family, was frequently at the home, and had been welcomed in on Friday morning. "We're still investigating what the relationship is between all the parties," he said.

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Matthews' son is in critical condition; sources tell ClickonDetroit the boy was attacked with a hammer and left for dead when he tried to come to his father's aid. The woman was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. WWJ said its employee of seven years "would often talk to co-workers about his children and his love for them and their adventures at school. He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners." (More Detroit stories.)

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