Betrayal in Broad Daylight: Civic Icon Barney Simms Gunned Down by Eric Banks, Teen He Tried to Save
The city of Atlanta was thrust into shock and sorrow on April 9, 2016, when the lifeless body of Barney Simms, a towering figure in the city’s civic and civil rights circles, was discovered sprawled in his front yard. At 70 years old, Simms was an elder statesman of the community, known for his tireless work in housing reform and his relentless drive to mentor youth. But his storied legacy was cut short in a moment of unthinkable betrayal.
The revelation that his alleged killer, 17-year-old Eric Banks, had shared a meal with Simms at a Waffle House just hours before the murder deepened the city’s grief and disbelief. How could a man who spent his life uplifting others meet such a cruel end at the hands of someone he tried to help?
Simms’ final hours were pieced together by investigators who unraveled a disturbing timeline. Surveillance footage showed the esteemed leader dining with Banks, a teen with a troubled past and a lengthy rap sheet. By 3:30 p.m. that day, gunshots echoed through Simms’ neighborhood. When police arrived, they found him facedown in his yard, shot twice in the back, his Lexus missing from the driveway.
The city’s grief turned to outrage as the investigation unfolded. Detectives canvassing the crime scene uncovered chilling details: Simms had been running for his life when he was gunned down. Two 9-mm shell casings, dusted for fingerprints but yielding none, were recovered near his body. His wallet and a television were also missing from his home, signaling a robbery that had turned fatal.
A critical breakthrough came when Simms’ stolen car was located at an apartment complex miles away. It was a clue that eventually tied the crime to Banks. Meanwhile, a wallet containing Simms’ ID was recovered by a maintenance worker at the same complex, providing further evidence linking the teen to the murder.
Detectives worked tirelessly, examining Simms’ phone records and financial transactions. They discovered Simms had made purchases at a grocery store and the Waffle House just before his death. Surveillance video from the restaurant captured him with Banks, a young man Simms’ family couldn’t identify. When the footage was released to the public, tips poured in, leading investigators to Banks, a familiar face to law enforcement.
Banks’ aunt delivered the devastating revelation: the teen had confessed to killing Simms. She told detectives that Banks, who had met Simms just days earlier through a mentoring program, admitted to shooting the civic leader. Her account, coupled with forensic evidence, painted a harrowing picture of a robbery gone wrong, fueled by greed and callousness.
When Banks was brought in for questioning, he initially denied involvement, spinning a far-fetched tale of self-defense. He claimed Simms had made unwanted advances, but detectives saw through the lies. Simms’ spotless reputation and the evidence of a deliberate attack—two shots fired into his back as he tried to flee—rendered the claim absurd.
Ultimately, Banks took a plea deal, avoiding a life sentence in exchange for a 30-year prison term. Yet the damage was done. The murder of Barney Simms, a man who had devoted his life to serving Atlanta, underscored the tragic vulnerability of trust and compassion in a world too often shaped by violence.
For Atlanta, the loss was more than the death of a civic leader—it was a blow to the soul of the city. Simms’ legacy, marked by his passion for justice and his commitment to mentoring those in need, will endure. But his untimely death serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of even the most benevolent intentions in the face of senseless brutality.