An Emory University custodian was arrested Saturday and fired four days later after allegedly dumping the body of a woman in a southwest Atlanta park, police said.
Steven Simmons, 57, is charged with concealing the death of another person and tampering with evidence. He was released Tuesday from the Fulton County Jail on a $17,500 bond, according to online records.
Emory University spokesperson Laura Diamond confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Simmons’ employment was terminated Wednesday.
Around 1:20 a.m. Saturday, an officer patrolling the 700 block of Deckner Avenue found a woman unresponsive near a baseball field at Perkerson Park, according to an arrest warrant. Medical personnel responded and declared the woman dead.
She was identified by officials as Tina Hatchet, 57.
Authorities said they obtained surveillance footage from inside the park and saw a blue Nissan Rogue enter around midnight. A man got out of the vehicle, removed the woman from the front passenger seat and placed her on the ground, according to the warrant.
The vehicle was tracked to Fulton Industrial Boulevard, where police said the driver was detained and taken to Atlanta police headquarters for questioning.
Police said Simmons told officers he picked up Hatchet near the Mall West End. After she entered his vehicle, she became unconscious, the warrant stated. He said he drove to the park, where he removed her body and left the scene, according to officials.
He told authorities he then went to his job at Emory to discard her clothes and other personal items, the warrant added. Police have not said if any evidence was found at the university.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
