In a tragic turn of events that unfolded on May 27, 2021, Brandon Dale Stamey, a 24-year-old Caucasian male from Cleveland, Tennessee, lost his life in what authorities have described as a targeted incident. The young man, a former employee at Murmaid Mattress and Tecco of Cleveland and an alumnus of Cleveland High School, was fatally shot on the 1000 block of 3rd Street SE.
Cleveland Police officers responded to reports of a gunshot and discovered Stamey at the scene with a gunshot
wound. Despite their immediate efforts to provide first aid, he was pronounced dead by medical personnel who arrived shortly after. The investigation that followed pointed to a deliberate act of violence, leading law enforcement to focus their efforts on identifying those responsible for the untimely death of the young father.
The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Michael Leon Sims, who was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Stamey's death. Further investigation by the Bradley County Grand Jury resulted in the indictment of two other individuals, Joseph Dewayne Bishop and Morgan Leigh Mills. They were accused of having prior knowledge of Sims' alleged plan to kill Stamey but failing to take any action to prevent it or notify the authorities. The apprehension of Sims was a collaborative effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Dalton Police Department, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Department, and the Georgia State Patrol.
