Hiram “Ross” Grayam, a World War II veteran turned milkman, was murdered “execution-style” on his route in April 1968 in Vero Beach, Florida. His body was found in the woods with multiple gunshot wounds. Grayam, a Purple Heart recipient, had been a witness to the liberation of concentration camps and had survived the Battle of the Bulge. The case remained unsolved for over five decades until new testimony from his killer’s ex-wife emerged. She revealed that Thomas J. Williams, who had confessed to the murder before his death in 2016, was responsible for Grayam’s killing.
The breakthrough in the cold case came when two independent witnesses told authorities that Williams had confessed to killing the milkman. Both witnesses were unrelated and had not known each other. Prior to his death, rumors had circulated accusing Williams of the murder. The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for a second man believed to be involved in Grayam’s murder. Witnesses had reported seeing Grayam talking to two men before they drove off in the Borden Milk Company truck on the day of his disappearance.
Grayam’s son, Larry, who was 16 years old at the time of his father’s murder, expressed shock and disbelief when a deputy informed his family that his father had not returned in his milk truck. The killers, aware that Grayam carried cash from his deliveries, may have targeted him for robbery. Grayam’s son suggested that the racially tense environment following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. may have also influenced the crime. Detectives are urging residents of Gifford, where Grayam was last seen, to come forward with any information about the second man involved or Grayam’s final movements.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office’s Cold Case Unit continues to investigate new leads in the case, using the latest technology and partnerships to seek justice for victims like the Grayam family. Despite the renewed efforts, finding the second culprit may prove challenging without additional evidence or witnesses. Grayam’s son remains hopeful that someone will come forward with information that could lead to the resolution of the case. The bravery of the witnesses who shared crucial information after the killer’s death highlights the importance of community cooperation in solving cold cases and ensuring that victims are not forgotten.
