3 Ohio men arraigned in murder of Pontiac marijuana grow business owner
(CBS DETROIT) — Three Ohio men charged in the murder of a Pontiac marijuana grow business co-owner have been extradited and arraigned, officials said.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says William Gregory Creasy, 24, Scott Aloysius Brown, 28, and Deonte Damonte Prophett, 32, were extradited from Cincinnati and returned to Pontiac Tuesday night. The three were arraigned Wednesday in an Oakland County court.
Creasy and Brown are charged with felony murder and armed robbery, while Prophett is facing charges of felony murder, armed robbery, felony firearm possession and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Investigators believe Prophett fired the fatal shots that killed Sam Simko, 66, of Commerce Township, on the night of Jan. 13.
Simko was found dead at about 8:15 p.m. on Jan. 13 in his business building in the 1000 block of University Drive in Pontiac.
"The senseless tragic murder of a businessman by these cold and calculating perpetrators must be answered with swift justice," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. "I look forward to them being held accountable for their heinous act."
Video footage at Simko's business reportedly shows Creasy arriving at the business and entering the building alone. While Creasy was inside the business, a black Ford Expedition parked across the street pulled into the business parking lot.
As Creasy left the building, investigators say Brown and Prophett exited the Expedition, with Prophett holding a pistol, and entered the business. Prophett allegedly fired two rounds, killing Simko.
Investigators believe Simko met one of the suspects at a cannabis festival in Ann Arbor, where the suspects reportedly concocted a plan to set up a fake business deal and steal what officials say was upwards of 50 pounds of marijuana.
"As they burst into the business, they basically executed the owner. They shot him in the head, then zip-tied him and then put a bag over his head," Bouchard said earlier this month.
The sheriff's office worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cincinnati Police Department to investigate and track down the three suspects in Cincinnati. Brown and Creasy were arrested on Jan. 14, and Prophett was taken into custody on Jan. 15.
The trio is being held without bond and is due back in court on Feb. 11 for a probable cause conference.