Three men from Ohio have been charged in connection with the death of 66-year-old Sam Simko, an Oakland County businessman, who was murdered during an armed robbery at his marijuana grow business in Pontiac. According to CBS News Detroit, the prosecutor's office announced the charges yesterday. William Creasy, identified as the individual orchestrating a bogus business meeting which authorities believe was a front to rob the victim, alongside Scott Brown and Deonte Prophett, is now facing murder charges.
After arriving in a white Buick Lacrosse, Creasy was seen on security footage entering the building on Monday night, as reported by WXYZ shortly before the incident occurred. A black Ford Expedition, parked across the street and registered to Creasy in Cincinnati, Ohio, was spotted pulling into the lot. It is believed that Simko met one of the suspects at Hash Bash, a cannabis event in Ann Arbor, leading to this planned ambush.
Upon Creasy's exit from the building, Brown and Prophett, the latter visibly armed with a handgun, entered. Per FOX 2 Detroit, there was a struggle before Prophett fired two shots that resulted in Simko's death, then the business owner was zip-tied and had a bag placed over his head. The suspects managed to take off with approximately 50 pounds of marijuana, but no cash was present in the establishment at the time of the robbery.
The suspects were apprehended shortly after the crime, with Creasy and Brown arrested on Tuesday and Prophett captured the following day in Cincinnati, all expected to be extradited to Michigan. Search warrants carried out in Ohio led to the discovery of three guns, one of a .45 caliber believed to be used in the shooting, as stated in a statement reported by FOX 2 Detroit. The investigation included efforts from over 50 law enforcement officers, encompassing various agencies from Detroit and Cincinnati, underscoring the cross-state collaboration essential in tracking the suspects.
