Man gets life after allegedly killing man who reported mother of his children to authorities

CINCINNATI - A man accused with killing another man for turning the mother of his children into authorities will go behind bars after he was sentenced Monday.

A judge sentenced 34-year-old Lamar Simmons to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years. Simmons was accused of killing Anthony Thomas after Thomas called 241-KIDS on the mother of Simmons' children to report she had left the children alone in her apartment.

Simmons allegedly killed Thomas in Over-the-Rhine after Simmons' girlfriend was charged with neglect that resulted in having the children removed from her care. Judge Barry Kubicki said Thomas was gunned down with a .40 caliber handgun at point blank range.

Simmons also has a case pending against him where he is accused of killing Jose Vazquez, 32, in Walnut Hills after Vazquez testified in a murder trial in 2005.

Police have not said if Vazquez's testimony and his murder were directly connected.

The Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested Simmons in June 2011 for Vazquez's murder.

Earlier this month, Simmons’ attorney, Greg Cohen was indicted for bribery and obstruction of justice after he reportedly bribed a witness to leave town before testifying in Simmons’ murder trial involving Vazquez. Special prosecutor Karl Schneider oversaw the case after Cohen’s removal as criminal defense attorney. That case has been continued.