Harriett Patrick
Harriett Patrick had just left a birthday party and was driving home on Eisenhower Parkway when a stranger pulled up beside her and opened fire, forever shattering the lives of those who loved her. Today, after a week-long trial, a Bibb County jury held Quteavis Quayshon Simmons accountable, convicting him of malice murder in the 2021 killing of the wife, mother, veteran, and breast cancer survivor who had overcome so much, only to have her life stolen in an act of senseless violence.
The jury’s verdict brings a measure of justice for Patrick, who was tragically killed on October 10, 2021, when Simmons, then 30 years old, fired three shots into her vehicle on Eisenhower Parkway thinking the driver was his former girlfriend’s new lover. One bullet struck Patrick in the abdomen. Despite calling her husband and son for help and courageously driving herself home to meet emergency responders, she succumbed to her injuries 10 days later.
“Harriett Patrick was an innocent woman who had her life stolen from her,” said District Attorney R. Howard. “This senseless act of violence took a devoted wife, loving mother, proud veteran, and breast cancer survivor from her family and community. While no verdict can bring Harriett back, we are grateful that the jury saw through the defense’s arguments and held this defendant accountable for his heinous crime.”
Senior Assistant District Attorney Aaron Palmer and Assistant District Attorney Amber Cook led the State’s prosecution team, presenting compelling evidence that identified Simmons as the shooter. The case presented numerous challenges, including that Patrick told first responders she did not know her attacker. No murder weapon was recovered, and two critical witnesses that had to be forced to cooperate, requiring the prosecution to attend out-of-state court hearings in Tennessee and last week in Chicago, Illinois, to compel their testimony and appearance in Macon.
The State requested the maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole, emphasizing the callous and malicious nature of the crime. However, the trial court sentenced Simmons to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
“This conviction represents the relentless work of law enforcement, prosecutors, and everyone who contributed to bringing Harriett Patrick’s killer to justice,” District Attorney Howard stated. “We hope this verdict provides comfort to Patrick’s family and sends a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated in our community.”