Upper Marlboro Man Convicted in 2001 Cold Case

DNA obtained from a 2011 crime committed in Washington, DC has lead to the conviction of an Upper Marlboro man for the June 2001 cold case murder of Michael Anthony Neal.

Billy Joe Simon is facing two life sentences plus 60 years for shooting Neal to death while he was lying in bed next to his fiance, their one-month-old son in a bassinet next to the bed and their 12-year-old daughter sleeping in a bedroom downstairs. Simon, who was Neal's partner in the drug trade, and another masked suspect fled the scene with a large amount of cash that had been kept in the home.

Several unidentified blood smears were left on the walls of the three-story town home. Prince George’s County Police collected the evidence and entered it into the CODIS database. In February 2011, police were notified that there was a CODIS match of the DNA from the Neal murder to a defendant whose DNA had been entered after a recent conviction.

The Prince George’s County Police conducted an investigation and in May 2011 charged Simon with the first-degree murder of Neal.  A jury also convicted Simon of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, use of a handgun in a crime of violence, robbery with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary and theft.

“Mr. Neal’s family has waited 11 long years for his killer to be brought to justice,” said State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks in a statement.  “I am pleased that we have been able to bring a killer to justice and provide continued healing to the Neal family.”

Simon will be sentenced on June 22.