In the early morning hours of Sunday, July 7, 2024, the life of Johnny Lee Simon, a 44-year-old man, was tragically cut short in Hot Springs, Arkansas. First responders were dispatched to the 400 block of Wade Street just after 6 a.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Simon suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
Despite any efforts to save him, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led the Hot Springs Police Department to a person of interest. Later that same day, authorities identified 24-year-old Essie Fuller III as a suspect in connection with the fatal incident. Fuller was subsequently taken into custody.
Following his arrest, Essie Fuller III was charged with theft by receiving of a firearm. He was booked into the Garland County Detention Center. The Hot Springs Police Department has since forwarded the investigative file on the case to the Garland County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for a thorough review. This review will determine if additional charges will be filed against Fuller in relation to Johnny Lee Simon's death.
