Worcester Police Deparment

On Tuesday June 17, 2025, Worcester Police Detectives assigned to the Cold Case Unit obtained a warrant for the arrest of forty-year-old Marquis Brown of Worcester stemming from the unresolved homicide of William Smith. The warrant charging Brown with murder was issued following years of investigation by WPD Cold Case Detectives and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.

Brown was arrested by Worcester Police detectives in Worcester on Tuesday. He was arraigned in Worcester Superior Court on one count of murder and held without bail.

On September 21st, 2008, Worcester Police officers were dispatched to the area of Honey Farms at 101 Highland St for a large fight. Responding officers found a large crowd of about 100 people with several active fights in progress. The crowd began to disperse when officers arrived, but several people continued fighting as officers attempted to break up the fights.

As an officer approached the intersection of North Ashland and Dix Street, he observed a male carrying another male. The male being carried, later identified as 19-year-old William Smith, had blood on his clothes. The officer called for an ambulance and rendered medical aid to the male, who was unresponsive. Mr. Smith suffered a stab wound to his chest and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Mr. Smith succumbed to his injuries at the hospital and was pronounced deceased.

Officers determined that Mr. Smith, who attended Becker College, was involved in a fight while attending a large party on North Ashland Street. After the fight, one of his friends realized that he had been stabbed and carried him until seeing police. 

“I want thank District Attorney Joe Early and the Worcester Police Department’s Unresolved Homicide Unit for continuing their unrelenting work to help bring closure to the family of Will Smith,” said Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier.