DOB: 07/16/1993
Case Number: 2021 303616 CFDB
Volusia County Defendant Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder
DAYTONA BEACH – During a hearing this week, defendant James Simmons entered a no-contest plea to Second-Degree Murder (Firearm) and Possession of a Firearm by Convicted In-State Felon. He was then sentenced to life in prison for the crimes.
On July 9, 2021, Simmons was seen – on video surveillance and by multiple witnesses – lurking around a Daytona Beach apartment complex carrying a handgun. After about an hour, the victim came out of his apartment unit, and Simmons shot him in the head.
The victim died from his injuries at the scene. The defendant was arrested a few days later at a hotel in Daytona Beach. Officers located the firearm used to kill the victim in Simmons’s hotel room.
“Another violent offender off the streets. Our commitment to keep you safe is unwavering,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak successfully prosecuted the case for the state. The Honorable Kathryn Weston presided over the case and pronounced sentence.
For more information contact:
Haley Harrison | Public Information Officer | Office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit | SAOPIO@SAO7.org
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