July 9, 2023, Peoria, IL – A Peoria man, Ronnie Simmons, 21, was charged this weekend with First-Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon for a shooting Thursday night in Peoria that left one person with gunshot wounds and Demetrious Davis dead, all over a dice game.
Thursday evening, Peoria police responded to the 1300 block of NE Madison on a report of two people shot who were taken to OSF in a private vehicle. A witness told officers he was shooting dice with the three men earlier that day. Simmons had been losing money throughout the game and left numerous times to get more money to play. The last time Simmons returned, the victims were preparing to go, and Simmons attempted to rob them at gunpoint, demanding they “give it up.” He first shot Davis, and when the other victim tried to take the gun from Simmons, he was also shot. Davis was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital. Simmons fled the scene on foot and was taken into custody from a house on NE Madison. A handgun was also recovered inside that house.
Simmons is being held at the Peoria County Jail on $1.5 million bond.
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