Bend man accused of mass stabbing spree at Salem shelter has long criminal record, history of mental health issues
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Tony Latrell Williams, charged with stabbing 12 people on Sunday at a men's shelter in Salem, has a criminal record and history of mental health issues dating back 20 years in Oregon. Of his 16 arrests, nine have been in Deschutes County.
Court records also show Williams appeared to have mental health issues, at one point being deemed mentally "unfit" for a court case to continue, and placed in Sage View Psychiatric Center at St.Charles Bend. He's also undergone at least three mental health psychiatric evaluations, though the majority deemed him fit to continue in a criminal case.
The first warning signs of Williams' mental health issues came in 2016, when he was arrested for menacing. A psychological evaluation found him unfit to proceed. He was required to enter into Sage View Psychiatric Center at St. Charles Bend.
It's not clear when and why he was released from the program, but just three years later, he was arrested again.
He pleaded guilty to bending back the fingers of a Bend police officer as they attempted to arrest him for stealing at the Greenwood Avenue 7-Eleven in Bend. His attorney at the time said he believed he was not taking his medication or following his therapy plan.
Williams was then arrested again in 2021 and 2022; one of the incidents was for resisting arrest with a knife.
In 2023 and again in 2024, he was arrested at that same 7-Eleven on Greenwood Avenue. He was originally found unfit to proceed, but an outside evaluation then found him fit to proceed. He pleaded guilty and was sent to jail for the crimes.
We're continuing to make calls and look at the programs and services Williams went through, and why they didn't appear to provide the help he needed.
Here is a full list of William's arrests and charges in Oregon, via public records:
| Filed/Location | Type/Status | Charge(s) |
| 08/15/2002 Coos | Offense Felony Closed | Assault in the Third Degree |
| 08/28/2003 Coos | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Theft in the Second Degree |
| 12/22/2003 Coos | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Assault in the Fourth Degree Harassment |
| 01/15/2004 Coos | Offense Felony Closed | Attempt to Commit Murder Assault in the First Degree Assault in the Second Degree |
| 04/19/2004 Coos | Offense Felony Closed | Conspiracy to Commit a Class C Felony Hindering Prosecution Conspiracy to Commit a Class A Misdemeanor Tampering with Physical Evidence Departure Sentenc.Allegations |
| 06/12/2013 Coos | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Interfering w/ Peace/Parole and Probation Officer |
| 03/07/2016 Deschutes | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Interfering w/ Peace/Parole and Probation Officer Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree |
| 03/31/2016 Deschutes | Offense Felony Closed | Possession of Methamphetamine |
| 04/05/2016 Deschutes | Offense Felony Closed | Possession of Methamphetamine |
| 07/05/2016 Deschutes | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Menacing |
| 05/17/2019 Deschutes | Offense Felony Closed | Coercion Theft in the Third Degree Resisting Arrest Unlawful Use of a Weapon Resisting Arrest Assaulting a Public Safety Officer Attempt to Commit a Class C/Unclassified Felony |
| 12/10/2021 Deschutes | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Theft in the Third Degree |
| 07/14/2022 Deschutes | Offense Felony Closed | Unlawful Use of a Weapon Menacing Resisting Arrest |
| 07/12/2023 Deschutes | Offense Misdemeanor Closed | Escape in the Third Degree Harassment Offensive Littering Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree |
| 06/20/2024 Deschutes | Offense Misdemeanor Open | Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree |
| 06/02/2025 Marion | Offense Felony Open | Attempt to Commit Any Degree of Murder or Aggravated Murder Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree |
