Northern California man found guilty in the thrill killing of high school classmate in 2009

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A Northern California teenager has been found guilty in the “thrill kill” death of a high school classmate.

Santa Clara County jurors took only one day of deliberating to find 20-year-old Jae Williams of San Jose guilty on Wednesday of first-degree murder.

Williams, along with then 16-year-old Randy Thompson, were arrested for choking and fatally stabbing a supposed friend, 15-year old Michael Russell, in November 2009.

Prosecutors say Williams and Thompson were tried separately because they implicated each other in police interviews.

Authorities say that Williams told investigators that he and Thompson participated in Satanism and killed Russell for the thrill of it.

Williams confessed to investigators to stabbing Russell saying he just wanted to kill somebody.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced July 11.

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