By Travis Walters
Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police charged and arrested a man for murder, and brought murder charges against two men already in custody for recent, unrelated homicides. SCMPD charged Bernard Simmons, 17, with murder in connection with the June 7 homicide of 18-year-old Dontrell Singleton. He was leaving the Uptown Club with others just after 2:30 a.m. on June 7 when an argument broke out. Gunfire was exchanged with Singleton and others near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at Henry Street. Officers in the area heard the gunshots and responded. They found Singleton with a life threatening gunshot wound and rushed him to Memorial University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
SCMPD detectives identified Bernard Simmons as a person of interest and arrested him for false statements and writings on June 11. He has been in the Chatham County Detention Center since his arrest and was served this evening with an add-on charge of murder. He is expected to be arraigned tomorrow.
In a separate recent homicide, SCMPD charged Calvin Gregory Russell, 18, with murder in connection with the recent homicide of Tony Austin, 48, both from Savannah. SCMPD responded to the 100 block of Millen Street on July 15, because of a reported shooting, and located Austin with a life threatening gunshot wound. He was taken to Memorial University Medical Center where he remained until he died on August 1.
After an investigation, detectives arrested Nathaniel Brown, 17, on July 22 and charged him with aggravated battery. He remains in custody at the Chatham Count Detention Center. Russell was established as a person of interest as detectives continued their investigation. SCMPD detectives obtained a murder warrant and arrested him at 9111 White Bluff Road, Apartment 79 (Heritage Square Apartments) earlier today.
