In the late hours of a Wednesday evening, the quiet of Luthersville, Georgia, was disturbed by a grim discovery. A passerby, traveling along the 12000 block of Rocky Mount Road on September 25, 2024, spotted a body on the side of the road and alerted the authorities. First responders arrived at the scene around 10:50 p.m. to find 14-year-old Jordan Alvin Simon of Newnan, who had been shot to death. Jordan, a male whose family remembered him as a beacon of kindness with a gentle soul, had a passion for rap music. He was known for greeting everyone with a big hug.
The Meriwether County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation into the teen's death, which they quickly determined to be a homicide. In the initial stages, investigators appealed to the public for any information that could help piece together a timeline of Jordan's last hours, specifically between 5 p.m. and the time his body was found. The family expressed their heartbreak and confusion, unable to comprehend why anyone would harm the young boy. His mother, Lisa Simon, last saw her son alive outside their Coweta County home on the night he was killed.
The investigation led to the arrest of three individuals. On October 4, 2024, authorities arrested 23-year-old Thaddeus Stokes of Senoia and charged him with malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Jordan's mother revealed that her son knew and trusted Stokes, who had reportedly acted like a 'big brother' to him. The day after Stokes' arrest, a funeral was held for Jordan. Investigators believe Stokes was aware of what happened to Jordan even as he shared a social media post from Jordan's brother expressing disbelief about the death.
Further developments in the case came on November 6, 2024, when gang investigators from the Meriwether County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from Newnan police, arrested two more suspects. Jamarion Mondrez Ford, 18, and Maurice Jamarcus Malone, 20, both from Newnan, were taken into custody and charged with murder. All three suspects are being held at the Meriwether County Jail without bond. While arrests have been made, the investigation remains active as authorities continue to seek justice for Jordan Simon and his family. A motive for the killing has not been publicly released by investigators.
