INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla — The family of a World War II veteran, who was mysteriously shot and killed in 1968, receives a sense of closure after Indian River County Sheriff’s Office detectives found out who murdered him.
WWII Veteran Hiram “Ross” Grayam was found dead deep in the woods in April 1968 after a day of delivering milk to homes, according to an Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
Grayam, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and participated in the liberation of two concentration camps, became a milkman after returning home from the war. After a day of delivering milk, people were concerned about his whereabouts after he never returned from work. Deputies eventually found Grayam’s body with several gunshot wounds in the woods that night, according to the post.
For decades, detectives from the IRCSO Cold Case Unit were unable to find Grayam’s killer until, “through determination and the cooperation of witnesses,” they found Thomas J. Williams who had confessed to Grayam’s murder sometime before his death.
“Fueled by a commitment to closure and justice, the Cold Case Unit continues [to] pursue every new lead. Armed with the latest technology and new partnerships, they stand as beacons of hope for families like the Grayams, ensuring that no victim is forgotten, and no crime is unpunished,” the post said.
To date, there are over 20,300 unsolved cold-case homicides in the state of Florida, according to the Murder Accountability Project.
If you know anything about cold cases spanning from the past 60 years, deputies encourage you to contact IRCSO Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-TIPS. They say your information can remain anonymous and you could be eligible for a reward.
