Nineteen months after Damian “Gems” Simmons was gunned down on his 31st birthday, his cousin Andy “Rocko” Simmons has been charged with his murder.
On Monday, Supt Lyndon Greenidge of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three gave the instructions for lead investigator PC Jason Bernard to file the charge. The investigation supervised by Insp Darryl Corrie included several consultations with Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard.
On Monday, Andy was taken to the San Fernando Magistrates Court where he appeared before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine. The charge read to Andy was that on January 15, 2017, he murdered Simmons at St James Street, Marabella.
On the day of his murder, Simmons, who worked offshore, was on his way to his girlfriend’s home at Union Park East Extension, Marabella. As he reached St James’ Street around 1 pm, a gunman opened fire on him. He was struck on the head and back and died within minutes. Simmons’ girlfriend, Meagan Sanchez told the media that he was looking forward to the birth of his daughter.
On December 14, 2017, Andy’s son, Isaiah Simmons, 15, was killed during a shootout with police after he and two others robbed a bank manager’s home in Gopaul Lands, Marabella. During that shootout, PC Anand Ram was shot in the abdomen.
All three Simmons were cousins to the budding Shiva Boys Hindu College footballer Noah Simmons. Noah, who also played with the Marabella Family Crisis Centre, was shot dead on his 16th birthday outside his cousin’s home in Union Park East, Marabella. The suspect, who is yet to be caught, was once believed to be a friend.
