Georgia Felon Drove Overnight to Aid Chicago West Side Murder, Prosecutors Allege

Bold Pursuit Captured on Camera (Image Credits: Cwbchicago.com)

Chicago – A 61-year-old man from Georgia with two prior attempted murder convictions traveled hundreds of miles to assist in the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old on the city’s West Side last summer, according to court records.[1]

Bold Pursuit Captured on Camera

A surveillance camera caught the deadly encounter at 11:39 a.m. on August 17, 2025, at the corner of Lavergne Avenue and Monroe Street in the 4900 block of West Adams Street.[1]

Navell Morris stood alone when a black 2019 Kia Sportage pulled up alongside him. James Taylor, who faces prior charges in the case, exited the rear passenger door and chased Morris while firing a 10mm semi-automatic pistol multiple times. Morris succumbed to his gunshot wounds. Investigators later recovered both 9mm and 10mm shell casings from the scene. A nearby witness captured part of the shooting on her cell phone, recording additional shots from an alley.[1]

Cross-Country Trek from Georgia

Donnell Simmons departed Lithonia, Georgia, around 4 p.m. on August 15, 2025, in the Kia Sportage. Cell phone data and license plate readers traced his path along interstate highways into Chicago by 2 a.m. the next day.[1]

Phone records showed at least five calls between Simmons and Taylor in the hours before the shooting. Surveillance footage captured the Kia passing the crime scene three times and circling the area repeatedly in the preceding hour. Prosecutors portrayed Simmons as a willing participant who drove specifically to aid the killing.[1]

Evidence Trail Seals the Case

After the shooting, the Kia headed to Rockford, where Ring doorbell footage showed Taylor and Simmons arriving. Simmons appeared carrying a spray bottle and a weighted black plastic bag, which he placed into the vehicle’s rear door.[1]

Rockford police stopped the Kia later that day with Simmons as the sole occupant, but released him without charges at the time. A later search uncovered a black plastic bag holding parts from two ghost guns – a 9mm and a 10mm – with slides and barrels missing. A fingerprint on the 9mm receiver matched Simmons. Witnesses later identified him from video footage, leading to his arrest in Georgia months afterward.[1]

Detained as an Extreme Threat

Authorities charged Simmons with first-degree murder in Morris’s death. Judge John Hock approved the state’s request to detain him pretrial, labeling Simmons “an extreme threat” due to his violent history and the case details.[1]

Simmons’s two prior attempted murder convictions underscored the prosecution’s concerns. Taylor faced earlier charges for his alleged role in firing at Morris. The combination of digital tracking, video evidence, and physical forensics built a compelling narrative of premeditation.[1]

This case highlights how technology and persistent investigation connected an out-of-state actor to a local tragedy. The swift detention ensures Simmons remains off the streets amid ongoing proceedings. What are your thoughts on the role of surveillance in solving such crimes? Share in the comments.