Arrest made in 2020 double homicide at Madison Cay apartments in Fort Pierce

FORT PIERCE — A 21-year-old man was arrested on two murder charges related to fatal shootings last year of a man and a woman at the Madison Cay apartments, according to recently-obtained records.

Tyriek Jacari Ganious, of the 6700 block of Citrus Park Boulevard in northern St. Lucie County, was charged Dec. 10 with two counts of murder with a firearm and a single count of possession of a weapon or ammunition by convicted felon after a Fort Pierce police investigation.

The charges stem from the Oct. 21, 2020, slayings of Emily Marie Gordon, 25, of Fort Pierce, and Phillip James Simmons Jr., 26, of Jennings in northern Florida, at the apartments on North 29th Street.

At the scene, police reported spotting several 9mm and .40-caliber cartridge casings. A .380-caliber handgun was near Gordon.

Surveillance video appears to have captured the fatal encounter, after Gordon exited a Chevrolet Malibu.

Mother of homicide victim: 'I will carry Emily in my heart for many, many years'

A summary of what one camera captured states a “suspect” met Simmons about 12:36 a.m. and Simmons put his hands up. A woman later identified as Nicoa Daughtry, 20, walked up.

Gordon walked up and had a handgun, which Simmons took and put on the ground. Simmons, identified as Gordon’s boyfriend, minutes later fired a shot at the ground and the “suspect” pulled a gun from his jacket.

The “suspect” fired, striking Gordon in the face, then fired multiple times toward Simmons, who fell. The “suspect” fired multiple shots at Gordon, before walking “up to Simmons who is defenseless and fires several more rounds at him.”

Police spoke to several people, including family members of Gordon. A family member told police that before the homicides Gordon indicated there was an earlier argument at another apartment complex involving allegations Gordon was being unfaithful. The allegations included that Gordon was “cheating” on Simmons with “Cool from Sheraton Plaza.” Gordon reportedly said she slept with “Cool’s unknown cousin.”

A person identified as “Cool” later reportedly began shooting at Gordon’s Chevrolet Malibu. Simmons returned fire.

Police got information that Daughtry lived at Madison Cay. She also resembled a woman on video surveillance as a person with Gordon and Simmons before the slayings.

In questioning Daughtry under oath and after reviewing her cell phone, police determined she gave conflicting statements and wasn’t forthcoming. She was arrested Nov. 23 on a felony for making a false report to law enforcement regarding a capital felony warrant, records show.

Police in October 2020 arrested Ganious on an outstanding warrant. Investigators found a Glock 17 9mm handgun they said he abandoned. A crime lab examiner determined 9mm cartridge casings found at the double slaying scene and a projectile from the earlier shooting scene were fired from that same Glock 17.

The crime lab examiner determined .40 caliber cartridge casings found at both scenes were fired from the same weapon, which hadn’t been recovered.

Madison Cay shootings: Fort Pierce police investigate 2 shooting deaths after incident at apartments

Facebook records showed Ganious tried to buy a .40-caliber Glock in September 2020 -- the month before the double slaying.

Police said Ganious said he was sexually involved with Gordon. Ganious also reported that he dated Daughtry about four years earlier.

Ganious said the shooting was “self-defense.”

Ganious was identified via Daughtry’s “phone messages as being present with Emily Gordon and her ‘crazy (expletive) boyfriend (Phillip Simmons)’ ” just before the shooting happened, records state.

Police concluded that following “the initial shooting, utilizing a .40 caliber firearm Tyriek is observed on video surveillance walking away from Phillip Simmons before circling back, grabbing the 9mm firearm (initially belonging to Simmons) off the ground, before firing multiple shots from the same 9mm weapon at Phillip Simmons who was lying defenseless on the pavement,” records state.

Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-692-8936. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Tyriek Ganious arrested in deaths of Emily Gordon and Phillip Simmons