Parole Watch: Prosecutor, family oppose parole for killer of Jason Evers

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Every five years, Bob Evers dreads the time when he has to prepare to meet with the parole board to ask that the killer of his son, Jason Evers, be kept behind bars.

"You got to relive it. Every five years, I got to go through it over and over. The story. It's heartbreaking to talk about it," Bob said.

Jason was just 3 years old when he was playing with friends at a playground in Springfield Township on a June day in 1982. A man named Adrian Williams lured Jason away.

"He was playing school games with them that day, and that's how he got my phone number," Evers said.

The family remembers that day vividly. Bob's brother, Ron Evers, was getting ready to eat Long John Silver's for dinner with his family when he got the call that Jason was missing.

"We were up all night long. I remember that. The next day, the FBI, they wouldn't come that day because he hadn't been missing for 24 hours yet. Back then, the archaic law," Ron recalled.

Forty-three days would pass with no answers about Jason's whereabouts. Ron, Bob and other family members searched the area tirelessly. Then, Bob received a call from Adrian Williams demanding $10,000. Williams told Bob that Jason was alive.

A cash drop was arranged and Bob left $10,000 at a location. Williams collected the money and tried to run, but FBI agents caught him. Williams later claimed that Jason died when he placed his hand over his mouth. Jason's skeletal remains were found buried under heavy rocks near the playground where he went missing. Bob carries a lock of hair he found in the dirt in the area with him each day.

"This is all I have left of Jason. It's a lock of hair I scraped off the rocks he was buried under," Bob recalled.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters sat through Williams' trial as an intern. He is asking the parole board to deny any type of release for Williams.

"It's one of the most disgusting crimes, seriously, that I've ever seen happen in Hamilton County," Deters said.

Deters said stranger abductions are incredibly rare in Hamilton County.

"He murdered a 3-year-old, basically a baby, carried a 3-year-old back in the woods and buries him under rocks and nonsense and then has the audacity to ask the parents for money? I mean, really? Who does that stuff?" Deters asked rhetorically.

The Evers family has been collecting signatures for a petition opposing Williams' release that they will present to the parole board later in January. They have the petition posted at police departments in Springfield Township, North College Hill and other areas. There's also an online petition and the prosecutor's office has a page on its website where people can post opinions about parole for Williams.

"I just miss him so much. I wish he was here with me and Williams can get out of jail when Jason comes home," Bob said.

Source: https://local12.com/news/local/parole-watch-prosecutor-family-oppose-parole-for-killer-of-jason-evers-cincinnati