22-year-old Ohio woman accused of murdering mother in Southfield home
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 22-year-old Ohio woman allegedly shot and killed her mother inside her Southfield home earlier this month.
Riley Donaldson is now facing charges of first-degree murder and felony firearms for the Oct. 5 murder of 45-year-old Ada Mae Simmons-Jones.
Timeline:
Police were called to Simmons-Jones' home on Bainbridge Drive near 13 Mile and Southfield roads just before 11:40 p.m. Oct. 5 on reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Simmons-Jones dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
According to police, the victim's 77-year-old mother-in-law, who was in the home at the time, said she heard three to four gunshots before hearing someone run out of the front door.
Using security video from nearby cameras, police saw a black Chrysler 300 pull into the driveway of the home before the shooting and watched someone, later identified as Simmons-Jones' daughter, Donaldson, quickly flee. Police confirmed Donaldson had been inside the home because she left behind her purse, which had identifying information inside of it.
After the shooting, Donaldson, who is from Cincinnati, drove to Ohio and spent a couple of hours in the Toledo area before driving to Detroit.
On Oct. 6, the Chrysler 300 was spotted in the area of Fenkell and St. Mary's in Detroit, so police followed the car to a CVS in the area of 7 Mile near Greenfield. Officers then stopped the car and arrested Donaldson without incident.
Dig deeper:
Police believe the murder stemmed from a custody dispute between Donaldson and Simmons-Jones. According to Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren, Simmons-Jones had custody of Donaldson's 3-year-old daughter, who also was in the home during the shooting.
The police chief noted that family members have told police that Simmons-Jones was flexible with allowing Donaldson to see her daughter.
Barren said police were previously called to the Southfield home on Aug. 26 after Donaldson allegedly took her daughter, stole Simmons-Jones' vehicle and dog, and fled to Ohio. After the vehicle and child were found in Ohio, Simmons-Jones declined to press charges.
Though Simmons-Jones did not want to press charges against her daughter, she petitioned to have Donaldson hospitalized over mental health concerns. Barren said Donaldson was taken to Common Ground, a mental health facility, by police for an evaluation.
Barren said that despite the mental health concerns, he believes Donaldson knew what she was doing when she allegedly shot her mother. According to Barren, Donaldson called herself God when arresting officers asked her name, and immediately asked for a lawyer when her interview began.
"She's very conscious of the legal system. She's very conscious of calling herself God because you all know when individuals do that declaration, they're letting us know that they decide who lives and who dies," Barren said. "This murder was premeditated."
What's next:
Donaldson is being held in the Oakland County Jail without bond. She is due back in court Oct. 22.
Donaldson's daughter is now in the custody of her grandfather.
The Source: This information is from Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren.