Florida man convicted in attempted kidnapping case

CHAMBERSBURG - A Franklin County jury convicted a Florida man Friday, accused in a 2013 kidnapping attempt that set off a large manhunt near a Chambersburg elementary school.

Williams Daniels, 48, was convicted of attempted kidnapping, recklessly endangering another person and firearms not to be carried without a license, after a two-day jury trial. Daniels was found not guilty of one count of aggravated assault.

According to court documents, around 7:57 a.m. Sept. 25, 2013, police were called to the 100 block of South Main Street where a woman said Daniels had earlier told her he was going to take her to Miami.

Daniels told the woman "if he couldn't have her nobody would," according to court documents. Daniels pulled a gun on the woman, placing the barrel of the gun on her ribs, grabbing her and leading her across the street, court documents showed.

The woman fled, and Daniels followed but dropped the gun in the process.

Daniels' daughter, Wilda Francois, who was also on scene, picked up the handgun and fled, according to court documents. Francois was 19 at the time and was also charged in the incident, including charges of kidnapping and tampering with evidence.

Police first found him in the area of Hollywell Avenue and Dump Road, at around 11 a.m., according to earlier Public Opinion reports. Police tried to take Daniels into custody, but were unable to. 

Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School went on lock down while police searched for Daniels for around two-and-a-half hours. They eventually called off the search after determining he was no longer in the area.

Daniels was a fugitive until October 2016, according to court documents. Francois entered a guilty plea to tampering with evidence in October of 2013 and was required to complete six months of probation, according to court documents.

Francois is listed as a prosecution witness in court documents.

Court records also indicate that no plea agreements were offered to Daniels during the pretrial process.

A sentencing date was not listed in court documents.

Daniels is being held at Franklin County Jail while awaiting sentencing.

Becky Metrick, 717-262-4762