A 22-year-old Cincinnati, Ohio woman has been charged with first-degree premeditated homicide and felony firearm for the fatal shooting of her mother in Southfield.
Riley Donaldson is accused of entering her mother’s home in the 18000 block of Bainbridge Drive at around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, armed with a firearm which she allegedly used to kill Ada Mae Simmons-Jones, 45. According to Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren, in her rush to leave the Bainbridge Drive house after the shooting Donaldson left her purse behind. The firearm used in the homicide has not been recovered, Barren added.
Riley Donaldson booking photo
Investigators utilized surveillance video and other technology to determine Donaldson was in the home for just a few minutes — when the homicide reportedly occurred — and then immediately fled to Ohio, Barren said. They tracked her vehicle’s return to Michigan two hours later, Barren said, and she was arrested Oct. 6 during a traffic stop in Detroit.
Barren said Simmons-Jones was the legal guardian of Donaldson’s 3-year-old daughter, and it’s believed conflicts with the custodial arrangements were a contributing factor in the homicide. The 3-year-old child was at the home at the time of the fatal shooting, as well as Simmons-Jones’ 77-year-old mother-in-law, but neither was harmed in the incident, Barren said. The 3-year-old is now in the custody of her grandfather.
Simmons-Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our investigation revealed this homicide, this murder, was premeditated,” Barren said.
Simmons-Jones’ mother-in-law told police she heard three or four gunshots in the house and then saw someone run out the door, Barren said.
A few weeks before the fatal shooting, Simmons-Jones contacted police to report Donaldson had taken the 3-year-old child and fled from the Bainbridge Drive home — stealing Simmons-Jones’ car and dog. The child and car were subsequently located in Toledo, Ohio, and Simmons-Jones declined to press charges against her daughter. The dog has not been found, Barren said.
Simmons-Jones had also reported that her daughter had a history of mental illness — but Barren said he believes evidence shows Donaldson was aware of what she was doing when she killed her mother. “In my 28 years of policing, I’ve seen severe mental illness, when that person doesn’t understand what they’re doing…this isn’t it,” Barren said.
He also said Donaldson is “very conscious of the legal system” and requested a lawyer after her arrest. A specific process is used by a judge to determine if mental illness is to blame for a defendant’s actions, Barren said, but at this point “we’re not allowing mental health as an escape.”
Donaldson is held in the Oakland County Jail, denied bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22, for a probable cause conference before 46th District Judge Shelia Johnson.