COVINGTON, Ga. — A Newton County teenager has pleaded guilty to murder and several other charges in the 2023 shooting death of a 15-year-old boy at a Covington housing authority property, the district attorney’s office announced.
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The Newton County District Attorney’s Office says Dameko Tyrekies Boswell entered guilty pleas to multiple charges in the killing of Larry Simmons.
Authorities said Boswell was 16 years old at the time of the shooting. Simmons was 15.
Investigators said the shooting happened around 1 a.m. on July 31, 2023, near Nixon Circle and Johnson Drive. Prosecutors said Simmons and two other young men were walking in the area when Boswell approached them from behind and fired at least four shots.
Simmons was shot three times in the back and died from his injuries. The two other young men were not hit.
Much of the shooting was captured on surveillance cameras from nearby Housing Authority properties, according to officials.
Covington police were already in the area investigating a separate deadly shooting from the night before when they heard gunfire and quickly responded. Officers found Simmons and began searching for the suspect.
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Investigators said Boswell ran to a nearby relative’s apartment, where he hid a gun and hoodie inside a blanket. Law enforcement recovered the weapon the same night.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab later confirmed Boswell’s DNA was found on the gun and determined it was the weapon used in the killing. Authorities also learned the gun had recently been reported stolen during a vehicle break-in.
As part of the plea agreement, Boswell pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a handgun by a person under the age of 18.
He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Under Georgia law, he will not be eligible for parole until he has served 30 years.
The case had been scheduled for trial during the week of July 13.
In a statement, the district attorney’s office said the guilty plea spared Simmons’ family from having to endure a trial while still providing accountability for the crime.
“This is yet another case of youth gun violence leading to terrible consequences,” prosecutors said. “A 16-year-old is walking around at 1 a.m. with a gun and ambushes three other young men, killing one of them.”
The district attorney’s office also urged parents to remain involved in their children’s activities, saying efforts to curb youth violence begin at home.
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