Rockford rapper’s murderer captured in Mexico

A man who fled from justice after the murder of Rockford rapper William Pickering, aka EBE Bandz and Billy Da Kid, has been returned to jail in Winnebago County.

William Arzate, 28, was sentenced to life in prison but failed to appear at both his trial and his sentencing. Court records show Arzate was held on a $1 million bond, which means 10 percent ($100,000) was paid for his release. He has been on the run ever since.

Officials said he was caught in Mexico and brought back to Winnebago County by the U.S. Marshals.

Records show he was booked into the Winnebago County Jail on Monday, May 4, at 1:41 p.m.

Photo: Winnebago County Jail

According to Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley, on May 25, 2019, Arzate, along with co-defendants Colton Kennicker and Dakota Graff, killed Pickering, 23, drove his body to a field in unincorporated Winnebago County, and then burned the body.
William Pickering
Authorities said the trio went to a residence in the 5200 block of Indianhead Avenue and met with Pickering. Kennicker clubbed him with a baseball bat, and the other two joined in, beating him to death.

They then put his body in a truck, drove to the field, and set his body on fire, Hanley said. Pickering’s body was found on June 20, 2019.

Kennicker was arrested in Mesa, Arizona on February 24, 2021. He was convicted of murder in 2023 and sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Graff was sentenced to 35 years for murder.

A fourth man, Manuel Ramirez, was sentenced to 180-days in jail in February for the charge of Concealment of a Homicidal Death.