GUILTY PA - Justin Simmons, 25, fatally shot, Beaver Falls, 7 Oct 2016

After about six days of witness testimony and four hours of jury deliberation, Tyrone “Kunta” Savage, 25, was found guilty of first-degree murder and receiving stolen property.

The jury convicted Savage in the 2016 death of Justin Simmons, 25, of Aliquippa. The shooting occurred Oct. 7 in the Morado Dwellings housing complex in Beaver Falls.

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Several members of Simmons’ family sat through the trial, including his father, Steven Simmons.

“He was a good kid, a great kid” Simmons said of his son. Other family members described Justin Simmons as loving, affectionate and “always smiling.” Simmons made it a practice to say, “I love you,” before leaving any gathering and always told his sister, “Family over everything.”

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Beaver Falls resident Tyrone Savage will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Tuesday for first-degree homicide.

In an emotional sentencing hearing that included impact statements from both families, Mancini admitted there was “no good side to this case” because one man died and another will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance for parole.

“Mr. Savage, you sealed your fate,” the judge said. “But I feel sorry for your family.”

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Steven Simmons, the victim’s father, took to the stand and said his son’s death has impacted every single member of his family. The family had to move out of Aliquippa, he said, because the memories of his son were too much to bear.

“That one bullet probably killed everyone in our family,” he said. “I wouldn’t wish this on nobody.”

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