The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff announced Monday that a second homicide suspect wanted in connection with the murder of William Sims had been located and is in custody.
Homicide detectives were informed Dec. 10 that suspect Ray Simons was in custody at the Monterey County jail in Salinas, where he was being held on a domestic-related charge, according to police.
Simons reportedly gave a false name when he was booked but his true and gave a false name when he was booked. A check of his fingerprints revealed his true identity, according to investigators. Simons, 32, of Hercules, was transported to the Martinez Detention Facility and is being held without bail on charges that include murder, robbery, shooting at a person from a vehicle and intimidating a witness.
Daniel Ortega, 31, of Novato/Richmond is still outstanding. A warrant for robbery and murder has been issued for his arrest.
Earlier, detectives arrested 31-year-old Daniel Porter-Kelly of Richmond in connection with the murder. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on November 16, 2016 on murder and robbery charges. The D.A.’s Office has formally charged him with robbery and murder, with a hate crime enhancement. He is being held without bail.
A sheriff’s office sergeant discovered William Sims lying in the roadway in the area of Appian Way and Garden Lane in El Sobrante on November 12 at about 2:11 a.m. Sims had been beaten and shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sims was 28-years-old and was from Richmond, where he was a musician and worked in retail. He had no gang ties and no criminal history. Detectives believe Sims was at the Capri Club on the 4100 block of Appian Way, where he was robbed and murdered.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on this incident or the whereabouts of Ortega is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. He is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. For tips, call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message or email: tips@so.cccounty.us.
