On Sunday around noon Utica Police and Utica Fire units were dispatched to the Fastrac on Genessee St in South Utica regarding a male gunshot victim.
When officers arrived on scene they located a male, identified as 43 year old Aaron Higgs of Utica, seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle. Higgs had been shot at least once in the rear of the head and was pronounced deceased immediately.
As the investigation was unfolding they received information that the suspect in the incident was near an address on Noyes St. Several officers responded to the location provided and located a male matching the description in the rear of a residence. He was taken into custody without incident and immediately transported to the Utica Police Department.
In viewing the surveillance video and through witness accounts it was determined that the party the officers took into custody was the individual that perpetrated the crime, and that he was seated in the backseat of the same vehicle the victim was located in at the time of the shooting.
Once at the station it was also learned that the male possessed a large quantity of narcotics and over $40,000 in cash.
Additionally a handgun was also located within the car at Fastrac. Ballistics testing will be undertaken to determine if this weapon was the weapon used in the incident.
The relationship and motive behind the homicide are still being investigated, but at this time we are charging Anthony Willis age 38 of Utica with:
Murder in the second degree
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th
They are asking that if anyone was in the area at the time of the incident to please contact the Utica Police Department Major Crimes Unit at 315 223 3556