GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A 27-year-old man was convicted on Friday for killing a Gwinnett County woman who was asleep in an attempt to retaliate against her grandson, the district attorney's office announced.
According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office, a jury found Tyree Jaron Simmons guilty of malice murder, three counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, first-degree criminal damage to property and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for the Feb. 22, 2022 death of 64-year-old Christine Walker.
Walker was asleep in the extended stay hotel room she shared with her 17-year-old grandson. Around 4:30 a.m., the grandson was in the bathroom when rapid-fire gunshots were heard. Walker was hit in the head and died in her bed, a release said.
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gaston said that Walker did not deserve to have died in this way.
"All she did was take responsibility for raising her grandson," Austin-Gaston said.
The grandson had a prior altercation with Simmons and told police that Simmons aimed a handgun at him that was equipped with a "switch." This is a small device that can turn a Glock into an automatic handgun by applying force to the trigger bar. Witnesses told police they heard continuous gunshots, which is consistent with the use of a switch, a release said.
Police interviewed Simmons, who denied any knowledge of the shooting or even having a gun. The Intown Suites on Highway 78 later evicted Simmons, and police held him on an unrelated warrant, a release said. Investigators found a Glock 29 handgun with a switch attachment hidden in the cooktop drip pan of the stove where he was staying.
During later police interviews, Simmons altered his story several times and denied even knowing the grandson or anything about the weapon.
"The fact that he had a switch, which turned his semi-automatic handgun into an automatic weapon, makes this crime especially egregious," Austin-Gaston said. "Our hearts pour out for Ms. Walker's grandson and for her family and loved ones."
Simmons will be sentenced at a later date and could face life in prison, the DA's office said.
