Canton man who lied about girlfriend's murder sentenced to life
Jesse Lamar Simmons (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
CANTON, Ga. - A Canton man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder and subsequent cover-up of his girlfriend’s murder.
Jesse Lamar Simmons, 43, entered the guilty plea in court on Wednesday on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, and tampering with evidence.
The murder happened on Jan. 5, 2019. The Cherokee Sheriff's Office said Simmons called 911 to report his girlfriend, 55- year-old Tammy Gilbert, had shot herself in the basement of their Waleska apartment. Officers arrived to the home along Lower Burris Road to find Gilbert suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and a graze to the upper arm. She was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where she later died.
Investigators said officers at the scene notices Simmons was making no efforts to preserve Gilbert’s life or treat her wounds. They also later found meth and meth paraphrenia in the apartment.
Simmons initially told investigators she was depressed and had a history of suicide attempts leading to her shooting herself during an argument between the two. However, his story change to him claiming the gun accidentally misfired.
Simmons eventually admitted to shooting Gilbert during an argument after she told him to "get out."
Tammy Gilbert (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
Family members told investigators Gilbert had been in an abusive relationship with Simmons and had said she feared leaving him for it turning deadly. On the day of the murder, she told her brother she had planned to leave him and move in with her sister.
"January 5, 2019, started out as one of the happiest days of Tammy’s life. That day, she celebrated her daughter’s wedding and made plans to finally leave an abusive relationship and break the cycle of violence," said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. "Unfortunately, her happy day ended with unimaginable tragedy when this much-loved woman was shot by Simmons, who then went on to lie about his involvement and hide evidence."
In court on Wednesday, Simmons entered his negotiated guilty plea. Gilbert’s family then read impact statements.
"It was heartbreaking to hear this family describe a life without their mother, sister, grandmother during the plea hearing," said District Attorney Shannon Wallace. "While his guilty plea will not bring back their loved one, our hope is that this sentence will bring some closure."
The judge then sentenced Simmons to life in prison.
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