Guilty plea entered in 2023 teen murder in Covington Housing Authority

Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Randy McGinley announced that a guilty plea has been entered in the July 2023 murder of 15-year-old Larry Simmons at the Covington Housing Authority. The Alcovy Judicial Circuit covers the judicial districts of Walton and Newton County

McGinley reported that on Thursday morning, Dameko Tyrekies Boswell pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, firearm offenses, theft by receiving stolen property, and possession of a handgun by a person under 18. Boswell, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years.

According to prosecutors, Simmons and two other teenagers were walking near Nixon Circle and Johnson Drive around 1 a.m. on July 31, 2023, when Boswell approached from behind and fired at least four shots. Simmons was struck three times in the back and died from his injuries. Surveillance cameras captured much of the shooting.

Investigators said Boswell fled to a nearby apartment, where officers recovered the murder weapon and clothing hidden in a blanket. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab later confirmed Boswell’s DNA was on the firearm, which had recently been reported stolen.

The case was prosecuted by the Newton County District Attorney’s Office and investigated by the Covington Police Department with assistance from the GBI Crime Lab.

“This is yet another case of youth gun violence leading to terrible consequences,” District Attorney Randy McGinley 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. I am proud of the work of our prosecution team as well as the work of the Covington Police Department. Their hard work led to this case resolving with a guilty plea and admission of guilt, allowing Larry Simmons’ family to have a level of closure without having to sit through a trial.”

McGinley also urged parents to be involved in their children’s lives, saying, “Parents, please ask yourself if you know what your child is doing at 1 a.m., do you know what they are doing on social media, do you know who they are hanging out with?