In the spring of 2022, the life of 42-year-old Demetrise Chante Simmons, a female resident of Richmond, Virginia, was tragically cut short. On the morning of Friday, May 6th, police responded to a call at her apartment in the 2500 block of Rosetta Street, located in the Fairfield Court area. Inside, they discovered a grim scene. Simmons was found suffering from apparent gunshot wounds alongside her friend, 38-year-old Jermorlo Napolean Butler.
Emergency services rushed Simmons to a
nearby hospital, but her injuries proved to be too severe, and she succumbed to them later that day. Butler was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident, which occurred around 1:46 a.m., sent shockwaves through the community, leaving friends and family grappling with the sudden and violent loss of two lives. The medical examiner would later confirm the cause and manner of their deaths.
Known affectionately as 'Dee,' Demetrise was a beloved mother to three sons and a grandmother. Her family remembers her as a vibrant and caring individual. In the wake of her death, they have been vocal in their grief and their desperate search for answers. The Richmond Police Department opened a homicide investigation into the double shooting, but as of late 2025, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case.
Frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation, Simmons' family has pleaded with the public for any information that could lead to a breakthrough. They have expressed their belief that someone in the community holds the key to solving the case and have offered a substantial reward for any information that leads to an arrest. The case remains an open and active investigation, a painful and unresolved chapter for a family still mourning the loss of a mother, grandmother, and friend.
