In the warm evening of July 3, 2022, Richard Edward Simmons II, a 42-year-old Black / African American man, was in Lansing, Michigan's Rotary Park. The tranquility of the park was shattered by the sound of gunfire. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Simmons had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals were also injured in the incident and were subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Richard, born in
Lansing on October 1, 1979, was known as a devoted family man. He had recently found a renewed sense of faith, having given his life to God just a week prior to his death. He was a man who found joy in simple pleasures, like walking by the water and traveling. His employment history was varied, having worked for Artic Glacier, Amazon, and as a truck driver, with his final job being at the Hertz Car Rental at the local airport. He was remembered by loved ones for his caring and loving nature.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrests of two individuals. Jamie Lynn Melton, a 38-year-old woman, was initially charged with murder. However, she later pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of being an accessory to a felony after the fact and lying to the police during a violent crime investigation. For these offenses, she was sentenced to three years of probation and one year in jail, with credit given for time she had already served. The second individual, 43-year-old Jermine Jamont Davis, was also implicated in the shooting. He pleaded no contest to a charge of manslaughter. His plea resulted in a prison sentence of 8 to 15 years.
