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