50th District Court in Pontiac (Aileen Wingblad/MediaNews Group)
As expected, the fourth man accused in the armed robbery and murder of marijuana businessman Sam Simko in January will join his three co-defendants for a preliminary examination on May 30.
At a court hearing Tuesday, 50th District Judge Cynthia Walker scheduled Christopher Matacia for the exam, which will be held to determine if the cases against him and the others — Scott Brown, William Creasy and Deonte Prophett — will proceed to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.
Simko, of Commerce Township, was fatally shot on Jan. 13 at his cannabis grow facility in the 1000 block of University Drive in Pontiac. He was 66.
Approximately 50 pounds of marijuana was stolen, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Oakland County Jail
Christopher Matacia booking photoOakland County Jail
Scott Brown booking photoOakland County Jail
William Creasy booking photoOakland County Jail
Deonte Prophett booking photo
Matacia’s case lagged behind his co-defendants’ cases because he was charged a couple weeks after the other three and subsequently fought extradition from Ohio, where all four defendants had reportedly fled after the armed robbery and murder.
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According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s office, Creasy allegedly had arranged a meeting with Simko at the grow operation with the intention of robbing him and the business. Deputies were dispatched to the cannabis grow facility after Simko’s business partner found Simko had been shot and called 911. Simko was pronounced dead at the scene. He had been shot twice, officials said.
Sheriff Mike Bouchard has characterized the crimes as “well-coordinated and cold-blooded.”
Detectives believe Prophett fired the fatal gunshots.
The Pontiac building where Sam Simko was found fatally shot on Jan. 13. (Peg McNichol/MediaNews Group)
Matacia recently got another court-appointed attorney, Scott Kozak, after Walker accepted the withdrawal of attorney Jordan Zuppke. At a court hearing last week, Zuppke told the judge he has “a relationship with one of the victims in the case” and that it would be in Matacia’s “best interest” to withdraw.
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Brown, Creasy, Matacia and Prophett are in the Oakland County Jail.
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Originally Published: April 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM EDT
“}]] Sam Simko of Commerce Township was fatally shot at his grow operation in Pontiac.
