In the early morning hours of May 16, 2021, the life of 20-year-old Jada Franese' Simmons was tragically cut short. A young mother from Milledgeville, Georgia, she was attending a large house party on Nitrogen Road in Gordon when she was senselessly killed. The coroner would later rule her death a homicide, the result of a fatal gunshot wound sustained at the gathering.
The news of Jada's death sent shockwaves through her community, leaving her family and friends devastated.
Described as a welcoming and vibrant individual, Jada was the mother of a one-year-old daughter and had her entire life ahead of her. In the immediate aftermath, the Jones County Sheriff's Office launched an intensive investigation into the shooting. Initially, investigators were met with few leads and urged witnesses from the party to come forward with any information that could help identify the person or persons responsible for Jada's death.
After persistent pleas from Jada's loved ones and the relentless work of law enforcement, crucial tips from the public began to surface. These new leads proved instrumental in breaking the case and pointed investigators toward a suspect. The investigation took a significant turn when authorities identified 26-year-old Jeremy Butts of Milledgeville as the alleged shooter. A search for Butts led investigators thousands of miles away to El Paso, Texas, a city where he had previously served in the military. On a Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Marshals apprehended Jeremy Butts in Texas.
The investigation also implicated Butts's sister, Sierra Butts, who turned herself in to authorities hours after her brother's arrest. She was subsequently charged with hindering the apprehension of a criminal, accused of driving her brother to the airport shortly after the fatal shooting. Following his arrest, Jeremy Butts was expected to be extradited back to Jones County to face charges for his alleged role in the death of Jada Franese' Simmons.
