Jermaine Simmons, a 26-year-old Black male, was tragically killed on March 31, 2016, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was discovered shot to death inside a vehicle on Appleton Lane in the Shively area, alongside his 20-year-old cousin, Kamal Lawson. Both men had sustained fatal gunshot wounds in what authorities described as a double homicide.
The investigation into the deaths of Simmons and Lawson quickly revealed that the two were acquainted with their alleged killers and that the deadly
encounter was the result of a drug deal that turned violent. Police believe that the victims had arranged to meet the suspects under the pretense of purchasing marijuana. The transaction escalated, leading to the fatal shootings which took place in a parking lot outside the apartment of one of the suspect's mothers. A witness who lived nearby reported hearing two gunshots and then discovering the white car with the victims inside, noting that the windshield wipers were still active.
In the days following the double homicide, Shively Police arrested two 18-year-old suspects, Marquice Hamilton and Brian Hutchings. They were subsequently charged with two counts of murder, two counts of robbery, and one count of tampering with physical evidence. A grand jury later indicted both Hamilton and Hutchings on these charges, with an additional charge of drug trafficking. Authorities confirmed that no further arrests were expected in connection with the case.
