Levia Pace

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A Baldwin State Prison guard has been charged with murder in connection with the Saturday night shooting death of a 28-year-old Milledgeville man, local authorities said.

In a press release issued Friday, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Detective Capt. Brad King, who heads the sheriff’s office criminal investigation division, said Levia Pace, of Cedar Ridge Apartments, Milledgeville, had been charged with murder in the shooting death of Kadeem Anderson Simon.

The apartment complex is located on Frank Bone Road.

The suspect reportedly told authorities that she had been a victim of an assault prior to shooting Simon, according to the press release.

The reported assault, as well as the subsequent shooting happened inside an apartment that Pace shared with a roommate, who was not home at the time.

“After an extensive investigation with the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Region 6 Office, evidence on hand does not support the limited statement provided by Pace, nor does it show Pace to be in imminent danger at the time and location within the apartment Simon was shot to death,” according to the press release.

King described the case as complex.

“This case is complex given the nature of the crime alleged by Pace,” King said. “The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office will always strive to protect crime victims, but in this case, I believe we have satisfied the burden to find the evidence supports charging Pace with murder.”

Simon was shot multiple times in the living room and kitchen of Pace’s apartment, authorities said.

After the shooting, the suspect reportedly drove away and didn’t call authorities to report that she had shot the victim.

The suspect’s roommate later came home from work and discovered Simon dead on the kitchen floor of his apartment.

Detectives with the sheriff’s office and a special agent with the GBI later processed the crime scene.

King reported earlier this week that detectives working the case had found several shell casings in the living room and kitchen areas. He said the shell casings were fired from what was believed to be a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Pace was formally charged with murder on Friday after local authorities conferred with Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stephen A. Bradley about the case.

The suspect, who reportedly knew the victim, was originally considered by detectives “a person of interest” in the slaying.

Earlier this week, she was arrested on a probation violation warrant, and had been jailed in the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center ever since.