In the late hours of a Tuesday night on Saint Helena Island, South Carolina, the sound of gunfire shattered the usual tranquility. On June 27, 2023, authorities responded to a report of shots fired in the vicinity of Harbor Breeze Drive. Upon their arrival at approximately 11:50 p.m., they discovered a car stopped in the middle of the road. Inside, in the driver's seat, was the body of 36-year-old Brandon Lee Simmons, a male resident of the island and a native of the Grays Hill community.
He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was subsequently ruled a homicide.
The investigation into the death of Brandon Lee Simmons led the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office to identify a suspect in the fatal shooting. In early September 2023, authorities publicly named 19-year-old Mekhi Jeremiah Moultrie, also of St. Helena Island, in connection with the murder. Arrest warrants were issued for Moultrie, charging him with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
Following the identification of a suspect, law enforcement sought assistance from the public in locating Mekhi Jeremiah Moultrie. He was considered to be armed and dangerous. The investigation into the shooting death of Brandon Lee Simmons is ongoing as authorities continue to seek justice for the victim and his family.
