The Indian River County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday that the oldest cold case in their history has been solved, with the identification of Thomas J. Williams as the killer of Hiram “Ross” Grayam, a decorated World War II veteran who was shot dead in 1968 while working as a milkman in Vero Beach, Florida. Grayam, a Purple Heart recipient who survived the Battle of the Bulge and witnessed the liberation of two concentration camps, was last seen by a witness talking to two males who then got into his truck and drove away. His body and truck were later found in a wooded area, with Grayam having been killed "execution style." The case went cold for decades until 2006, when Grayam's son, Larry Grayam, was interviewed by a local media outlet, sparking new leads. Williams, who denied involvement in the murder in a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, died in 2016. However, two witnesses came forward before his death, stating that Williams had confessed to them that he killed Grayam. The witnesses, who did not know each other and had not come forward earlier out of fear for their safety, provided crucial information that helped solve the case. Sheriff Eric Flowers emphasized that there is another person involved in the killing, and urged the community to come forward with any additional information. Larry Grayam expressed mixed emotions about the resolution of the case, calling it "bittersweet." The sheriff's office praised the determination of the Cold Case Unit and the cooperation of witnesses in bringing closure to the Grayam family and ensuring that "no victim is forgotten, and no crime is unpunished.".