PONTIAC (WWJ) -- Four men convicted in the murder of a Pontiac marijuana business owner have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
William Creasy, 35, Scott Brown, 41, Christopher Matacia, 35, and Deonte Prophett, 34, were all found guilty in the 2025 murder and robbery of 66-year-old Sam Simko.
The men took about 50 pounds of marijuana from the business after Simko, a Commerce Township resident, was fatally shot.
Speaking in court on Thursday, the Simko's wife, Ailene Simko, delivered a lengthy and emotional victim impact statement.
"Seventeen times they jumped over his body," she said. "One of them yelled, 'There is a lot of blood!' These criminals just murdered him, left him bleeding on the floor, and still chose not to help him. Instead, they robbed him while he lay there."
"You planned this execution," she said. "A cold-blooded murder of an unarmed, defenseless man. Sam had no chance to protect himself, no chance to fight, no chance to run, no chance to push the panic alarm, no chance to even say goodbye."
Through tears, she spoke in detail about the unimaginable heartbreak the night Sam died, when police came to her door, and about her love for her husband and the life they shared.
"Sam was not just my husband. He was a person, my partner, my best friend, and my safe place. We were inseparable; we lived our lives completely intertwined. Working, building our business, and planning our future together."
Ailene Simko said not one of the defendants showed any remorse during the trial, and there's no sentence that would give her justice in the way she wants it.
"Justice would be to hear Sam's car pulling in the garage tonight. Justice would be hearing him opening the back door. Justice would be hearing him call out my name from the other side of the room. Justice would be sitting beside him on the couch holding his hand, deciding what we would watch on TV, and laughing at things no one else would understand," she said.
Sam Simko, 66, was killed on Jan. 13, 2025, after authorities said Creasy lured Simko to his business, on University Drive near MLK Jr. Boulevard, for a meeting that was all part of an ambush plan.
As Creasy walked out, Brown and Prophett went in, and there was a struggle.
Prophett fired two rounds, killing Simko.
Following an investigation, all four suspects were tracked by police to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they lived, and were arrested.
Brown, Creasy and Matacia, were all found guilty of felony murder and armed robbery.
Separately, Prophett was convicted of felony murder, armed robbery, felony firearm and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
"Sam had no chance to protect himself, no chance to fight"
"Sam had no chance to protect himself, no chance to fight"
