What did Joshua Lee Simmons do? Multiple charges explored as suspect in Malibu Lagoon killing accused of another murder

Joshua Lee Simmons, a 37-year-old, finds himself in custody, facing charges linked to two separate murders. The Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives apprehended Simmons earlier this month, connecting him to the murder of Javonnta Murphy, a musician whose lifeless body was discovered inside a barrel at Malibu Lagoon State Beach this summer.

Joshua Lee Simmons stands accused of fatally shooting Murphy before disposing of his body in a 55-gallon plastic drum discovered three days later. However, this is not the sole charge against Simmons.

Earlier in the month, he was charged with the murder of Anthony James Soloc, a 50-year-old who fell victim to a fatal shooting in Inglewood, a city within Los Angeles County, in January 2023, as reported by Law&Crime.

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Additional charges on Joshua Lee Simmons in Malibu Lagoon killing investigation

Following the arrest of Joshua Lee Simmons in connection to the murder of Javonnta Murphy, more details emerge surrounding the disturbing incident. Prosecutors allege that on July 27, 2023, Joshua Lee Simmons fatally shot Murphy and then disposed of his body in a 55-gallon plastic drum at Malibu Lagoon State Beach.

The discovery of the barrel containing Murphy's lifeless body was made by a maintenance worker three days later, floating in shallow inlet waters. The worker hauled the container to shore but refrained from opening it. The next day, a lifeguard retrieved the barrel, opened it, and uncovered the tragic contents.

“At about 8 p.m., there’s a high tide here, and there’s a possibility that the container could have come in from the ocean and then got stuck in the lagoon — but we don’t know,” shared sheriff’s department homicide Lt. Hugo Reynaga with The Los Angeles Times.

Joshua Lee Simmons is not only charged with Murphy's murder but also faces accusations of making criminal threats against another individual, Brandon Gray, on the same day as Murphy's killing. Gray was taken into custody but not charged.

Additionally, Dennis Eugene Vance is alleged to have assisted Joshua Lee Simmons in covering up the fatal shooting, resulting in charges as an accessory after the fact. In October 2023, Simmons faced further charges for the murder of Javonnta Marshann Murphy, a rising rapper known as Sirtanky, who had recently released an E.P. before his tragic demise.

Joshua Lee Simmons is also implicated in an attempted robbery at Meza Jewelry in El Monte. Surveillance footage captured Joshua Lee Simmons, dressed in black and wearing a face mask, walking down Main Street carrying a cardboard box on September 2. The attempted robbery was thwarted by store owner Israel Mesa, who was sprayed with bear repellent by Simmons during the incident.

Detectives swiftly circulated a video identifying Joshua Lee Simmons as the suspect, leading to his arrest on October 3, alongside accomplice Dennis Eugene Vance. Just two days later, Joshua Lee Simmons faced charges of murder, criminal threats, attempted robbery, and two counts of criminal threats against the jewelry store owner.

Simmons' criminal history is full of violent offenses, including a 2019 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a 2013 crime.

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Joshua Lee Simmons shoots Javonnta Murphy

Javonnta Murphy, a 32-year-old musician, met a tragic end when Joshua Lee Simmons fatally shot him. Living in Sylmar at the time, Murphy was described as a good person by family friend Patrick Nelson, who considered himself a stepfather figure to Murphy.

Murphy grew up in South Los Angeles with four brothers. He was known for his fitness dedication, free time lifting weights and running. He was a loving father to a young son.

Nelson, expressing his disbelief, stated, "He was a good kid, good person. He didn’t gang-bang. What happened to him, I just don’t understand."

Joshua Lee Simmons, the alleged perpetrator, is currently held on $3.275 million bail at L.A. County's Men’s Central Jail. Simmons will appear in court on November 3 with Vance, his alleged accomplice. Vance was released on a $50,000 bond. The arraignment in the Soloc case is scheduled for this Friday.