Man shot to death Easter night; suspected gunman surrenders to police

A Montezuma man died early Monday after several shots were fired late on Easter night in the 700 block of Cedar Court.

Willie Simpson Jr. was found bleeding in the middle of the street after police were called to investigate gunfire just after 11:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday, Montezuma Police Chief Eric Finch said.

Simpson, 44, was taken by ambulance to Phoebe Sumter Medial Center where he was pronounced dead, Finch said.

“I’m just lucky that no one else got hurt in this incident,” Finch said. “From what I understand the people was out. Several shots were fired.

Police identified Tony Maurice Davis, 32, of 709 Cedar Court, as the prime suspect in the killing.

“He turned himself in this morning,” Finch said after just returning to his office early Monday after booking Davis in at the Macon County jail.

As the sun was coming up, an unidentified man at Davis’ house said: “It was self defense. That’s all I can say.”

Finch said both men were known to local law enforcement, but he did not elaborate on the criminal history, nor did he speculate on what motivated the shooting.

Homicides are rare in the Macon County town, he said.

“I’ve been the chief for 18 years and this is my fourth one,” Finch said.

The GBI’s Americus office is assisting in the investigation.

This story was originally published April 17, 2017 at 8:40 AM with the headline "Man shot to death Easter night; suspected gunman surrenders to police."