On November 15, 2021, 14-year-old Ryan Rogers left his Palm Beach Gardens home for an evening bicycle ride and never returned. His body was discovered the following morning in a wooded area near the Central Boulevard overpass of Interstate 95. Investigators determined that Ryan had been the victim of a random, unprovoked attack by Semmie Lee Williams Jr., a homeless drifter who had recently arrived from Miami. DNA evidence found on Ryan’s headphones and a bloody bandana linked Williams to the scene, where the teenager had been stabbed more than 20 times in the head and neck.
In April 2026, Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe sentenced Williams to 35 years in state prison for the murder. This decision specifically bypassed the life sentence requested by prosecutors. The judge’s choice not to impose a life term was heavily influenced by Williams’ documented history of untreated schizophrenia and a prior legal ruling that he is intellectually disabled. While Judge Rowe acknowledged the “devastating tragedy” and the senselessness of the crime, the court considered his severe mental health struggles as a mitigating factor in determining the length of the sentence.
The sentencing hearing concluded in a high-tension confrontation. As Williams was being sentenced, he began a loud, rambling outburst, claiming he was being “held hostage” and demanding to be moved to the general prison population. This sparked a raw, emotional reaction from Ryan’s father, Brian Rogers, who shouted back at Williams as bailiffs escorted the convicted killer from the room. Despite the 35-year sentence, Ryan’s family expressed that no amount of time could ever truly compensate for the loss of a boy who was described as the “heartbeat” of his family and community.