Ghost Gun And Brutal Strangulation: Hughesville Man Charged Following Savage Domestic Assault In St. Mary’s County
CALIFORNIA, Md. – A Hughesville man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including first-degree assault and illegal firearm possession, after allegedly subjecting a woman to a brutal domestic attack in California, Maryland. The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Joseph Robert Willet III, was arrested on December 8, 2024, following an incident at a residence on Sills Ct.
According to the statement of probable cause, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home in the early morning hours on December 8 for a report of a domestic assault. They arrived to find the victim receiving medical attention from EMS personnel. The woman, who lived with Willet, informed deputies that he had assaulted her during an argument. Deputies observed a large contusion on her forehead and blood droplets in the kitchen, signs of a violent altercation.
The victim stated that Willet had been drinking with a friend earlier in the evening. After the friend left, Willet became irate and allegedly began attacking her in the kitchen. He reportedly grabbed her by the hair, threw her to the ground, punched and strangled her, and repeatedly slammed her head against the kitchen counter. During the assault, a crock pot broke when her head struck it, and Willet allegedly told her he wanted her to “choke in his blood,” allowing his own blood to drip onto her face.
The victim tried to stand multiple times but was pushed down again. She attempted to call for help on her cellphone, which Willet took from her. Eventually, she managed to escape to the bathroom, then to her daughter’s bedroom, where she tried unsuccessfully to leave through a window. Upon exiting the bedroom, she found Willet waiting in the hallway. She said he grabbed her hair again, threw her to the floor, and ordered her not to move. When Willet went to wash his hands, she ran to her mother’s residence and called 911. By the time deputies arrived, Willet had left.
At MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, the victim provided more details. She advised that Willet possessed a “ghost gun,” a firearm without a serial number. She consented to a search of their shared home, where deputies discovered a polymer 9mm firearm with no serial number, a 32-round magazine loaded with 24 hollow-point Ruger rounds, and other evidence. Checks with the Maryland Gun Center revealed Willet is prohibited from owning a firearm due to prior convictions.
Investigators later located and arrested Willet, who was transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center. He now faces first-degree assault, second-degree assault, illegal firearm possession, illegal possession of ammunition, and possession of a firearm without a serial number. These charges can carry significant prison time and substantial fines if he is convicted. Willet is currently being held without bond.
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