Gwinnett Man Sentenced Life Murder, Blinding 2020 Robbery

Hakiem Sherif Williams, 29, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years without parole for the 2020 execution-style murder of Mihn Nguyen and the shooting that permanently blinded Cheng Xiu Han during a robbery in a Norcross Motel 6. Williams sold drugs to the victims and arranged for a stripper to distract them before attempting to rob them of a backpack containing thousands of dollars. When Nguyen tried to resist, Williams fatally shot him in the face and head, then shot Han in the head, who survived but lost his sight. Williams fled the scene with the stripper, Mary Jo Tarr, and his girlfriend and children to North Carolina, but Tarr later confessed to a homeowner and testified against Williams in court. Law enforcement identified Williams through facial recognition technology linked to his girlfriend's social media account and fingerprints found in Han's car. Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson emphasized the severe impact of the crime on the victims and their families and expressed hope that the verdict would bring some solace.