Atlanta, GA - At approximately
12:15pm on February 13, 2007, Carletha Simmons was captured by
members of the U.S. Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task
Force. Simmons was wanted by the Charleston, SC Police Department
for the December 23, 2006 murder of William Ayers.
Investigators believe that on December 23, 2006, Simmons shot the
victim in the neck area after a heated argument. Simmons was later
pronounced dead at the MUSC hospital.
This afternoon during an exhaustive investigation conducted by
investigators from the Charleston Police Department, USMS Operation
Intercept and the U.S. Marshal’s SERFTF; investigators were able to
locate Simmons. Simmons was located in an apartment complex off Rock
St., Atlanta, GA. As investigators approached the target apartment,
Simmons was observed through the window. Investigators then ordered
Simmons to the door where she was taken into custody without
incident. Simmons is now being held at the Fulton County Sheriff’s
Department.
Simmons has a criminal history that includes arrests for crimes of
violence. The Marshals Service considered Simmons to be armed and
dangerous.
The Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) is a team
comprised of law enforcement officers from the United States
Marshal, as well as, 27 other local, state and federal agencies. The
task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest the regions most
violent offenders. Since the inception of the task force in
September of 2003, the SERFTF has closed over 10,000 felony
warrants. Annually, more fugitives are arrested by U.S. Marshals
than all other federal agencies combined.
Additional information about the U.S.
Marshals can be found at
http://www.usmarshals.gov |