VALDOSTA — A Lowndes County jury found a Valdosta man guilty of murder in the 2015 shooting death of a teenager.

Eric Simmons was found guilty Thursday afternoon of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Lowndes County Superior Court.

Southern Circuit Judge James Tunison sentenced Simmons to life in prison plus five years following the guilty verdict.

Simmons was on trial for the August 2015 shooting death of Damaria Hill, 18.

Hill was confronted by a person outside of a Caldwell Drive residence when an argument took place regarding a domestic issue, and a handgun was fired, according to Valdosta Police Department reports. Hill was shot and later died at a hospital in Florida, according to reports.

Wednesday, the prosecution and the defense made their respective cases to the jury.

Assistant Southern District Attorney Jeremy Baker argued that Simmons was the only person on the scene with a weapon and killed Hill unprovoked.

Baker brought several eyewitnesses, a medical examiner, two Valdosta police officers and a crime-scene detective to the stand to testify.

Eyewitnesses implied Simmons was extremely close to Hill when the gun was fired; he was the only one with a weapon; he was flashing the gun; and he had yelled something about wanting to kill someone.

Baker showed jurors a police video of Hill after he had been shot during the Wednesday trial.

Defense Attorney Jason Cain argued Simmons acted in self defense and Hill also had a gun.

To stake his claim, he brought two Valdosta police officers and Simmons to testify.

Simmons testified he acted in self-defense and went to the 2300 block of Caldwell Drive with his stepfather to resolve a domestic dispute.

Simmons claimed Hill pulled up to the house in a silver Pontiac with three other individuals. Simmons told a Lowndes County jury Hill was “clutching” and Simmons acted to “prevent (Hill) from shooting me or harming me.”

When asked why he shot and killed Hill, Simmons responded, “I was scared.” 

Simmons said he turned himself in two days later to “prove my innocence and to show my family I am not a hostile person.”

One of the police officers who originally interrogated Simmons after he had turned himself in confirmed Simmons’ story on the stand was the same as the one he gave police in August 2015.

During cross-examination, Baker asked if Simmons was implying that four eyewitnesses had lied on the stand about Hill already being present at the house on Caldwell Drive and not showing up during the event.

Simmons said yes.

Thursday, the trial resumed in the morning and the attorneys gave closing arguments before the case went to the jury.

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1256.