In the late summer of 2015, the life of 18-year-old Damaria Hill was cut short in Valdosta, Georgia. A senior at Valdosta High School and a football player for the Wildcats, Hill was a young man with plans for his future, which included joining the military and attending college. Described as an outgoing and gregarious person who loved to make others smile, his life was tragically ended after a dispute over a girl.
On the night of August 16, 2015, at a home on Caldwell Drive, an argument escalated into violence. Eric Simmons, also of Valdosta, was driven to the residence by another individual. Following a verbal altercation with Hill, Simmons shot him in the head outside the home. Damaria Hill was transported to Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on August 17, 2015.
The day after the fatal shooting, Eric Simmons turned himself in to authorities in Tampa, Florida. He was subsequently indicted by a Superior Court of Lowndes County grand jury on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The man who drove Simmons to the scene was initially charged as a party to the crimes, but the grand jury did not indict him, concluding he was unaware of Simmons' intentions or that he was armed.
During his trial, Simmons claimed that the shooting was in self-defense, alleging that Hill also had a gun. However, eyewitness testimony contradicted this claim, stating that Simmons was the only person with a weapon and had been yelling about wanting to kill someone. In February 2017, a Lowndes County jury found Eric Simmons guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to life in prison plus five years for his role in the death of Damaria Hill.
