Cayla Kelley & Earl Simmons | Latest Relationship Update

Public reports indicate that Kelley and Simmons knew each other and were together shortly before the shooting. Investigators reportedly found surveillance footage showing the two together around the time of the incident.

That information confirms a personal connection, but it does not establish the exact nature of their relationship.

Several online pages have described Kelley and Simmons as a couple. However, those claims are not supported by enough reliable public evidence to state that they were in a confirmed romantic relationship.

For that reason, the most accurate description is that Kelley and Simmons knew each other and had a personal connection that became important to the homicide investigation.

Who Was Cayla Kelley?

Cayla Kelley was a 27-year-old woman from New Orleans. Public reports describe her as a beautician and makeup artist.

She worked in the beauty industry and was known for providing makeup and beauty services in the New Orleans area.

Information about her private life is limited compared with the amount of coverage surrounding her death. Most available reporting about Kelley focuses on the investigation that followed the January 2024 shooting.

Kelley’s death became a major criminal investigation because detectives later connected it with another homicide that occurred in New Orleans on the same night.

What Happened to Cayla Kelley?

Cayla Kelley was shot and killed on January 6, 2024, in New Orleans.

Police responded to a shooting on Washington Avenue at around 6:13 p.m. Officers found Kelley suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation began immediately.

Detectives worked to determine who had been with Kelley before the shooting and what happened in the moments leading up to her death.

Surveillance footage and witness information later became important parts of the investigation.

Investigators eventually identified Earl Michael Simmons as a suspect.

Earl Michael Simmons and the Investigation

Earl Michael Simmons was 31 years old when police arrested him in January 2024.

Investigators reportedly found evidence that placed Simmons with Kelley before the shooting. Surveillance footage was especially important because it helped detectives establish his movements around the time of the homicide.

According to reports about the investigation, detectives also found evidence connecting the weapon used in Kelley’s killing to another murder that occurred several hours later.

This connection changed the scope of the investigation.

Police were no longer investigating Kelley’s death as an isolated homicide. They were also looking at a possible connection between two killings that happened on the same night.

The Second Homicide

Eddie Lee “Keebler” Matthews, 64, was shot later on January 6, 2024.

Police responded to a shooting near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and South Liberty Street at about 10:13 p.m.

Matthews suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital. He later died from his injuries.

The timing of the two killings became an important part of the investigation.

Kelley was killed earlier that evening. Matthews was killed approximately four hours later.

Investigators eventually determined that ballistic evidence connected the two shootings.

The same firearm was reportedly linked to both homicides.

Why Earl Simmons Was Arrested

Police developed Simmons as a suspect after reviewing evidence from the two homicide investigations.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed Simmons with Kelley before her death. Investigators also examined evidence from both crime scenes.

The ballistic connection between the two shootings gave detectives another important piece of evidence.

Simmons was arrested on January 18, 2024.

He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Kelley and Matthews.

An arrest and criminal charge are allegations. They do not by themselves establish guilt.

That distinction is important when discussing the case because the criminal proceedings must be separated from claims made online.

Did Earl Simmons Know Cayla Kelley?

Yes. Available reporting indicates that Simmons knew Kelley.

Reports about the investigation state that Simmons acknowledged knowing Kelley while denying responsibility for her death.

This is one of the clearest facts available about their connection.

The problem comes when that fact is turned into a claim that they were definitely in a romantic relationship.

Knowing someone, spending time with someone, or appearing together on surveillance footage does not automatically prove that the two people were dating.

There is currently not enough reliable public information to make a stronger claim about the nature of their relationship.

Were Cayla Kelley and Earl Simmons Dating?

There is no reliable public confirmation that Cayla Kelley and Earl Simmons were officially dating.

This is the biggest point readers should understand when searching for a “Cayla Kelley and Earl Simmons relationship update.”

Some online sources have used relationship language when discussing the two. However, the available reporting does not clearly establish that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

A responsible account should therefore avoid presenting that claim as fact.

The confirmed information is that they knew each other and were together around the period leading up to Kelley’s death.

Their exact personal relationship has not been clearly documented in reliable public sources.

Earl Simmons Arrest and Charges

Simmons was arrested on January 18, 2024.

Police charged him with second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Cayla Kelley and Eddie Matthews.

The arrest followed an investigation that included surveillance footage, witness information, and forensic evidence.

According to reports, investigators believed evidence connected Simmons to both killings.

The charges were serious, but Simmons remained legally entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty in court.

This is an important point because some websites describe suspects in criminal cases as though their guilt has already been established.

That wording is not appropriate when a case has not resulted in a final conviction.

The Role of Surveillance Footage

Surveillance footage reportedly played a major role in the investigation.

Detectives reviewed video from the area where Kelley was killed. The footage helped investigators establish who had been with Kelley before the shooting.

Reports about the case indicate that Simmons appeared in surveillance footage with Kelley.

Investigators also reviewed footage related to the second homicide.

Surveillance evidence can be particularly useful in homicide investigations because it can help establish a timeline and show the movements of people before and after a crime.

In this case, it reportedly helped detectives build a connection between Simmons and the events surrounding Kelley’s death.

The Ballistics Evidence

Ballistics evidence became another major part of the investigation.

Police reportedly determined that the same firearm was connected to the deaths of Kelley and Matthews.

This was significant because the two shootings happened only a few hours apart.

The firearm evidence helped investigators connect the cases and look for a common suspect.

The combination of ballistic evidence and surveillance footage strengthened the investigation against Simmons, according to reports about the case.

However, evidence presented during an investigation is still different from a final court judgment.

What Happened After the Arrest?

Following Simmons’ arrest, the case moved into the criminal justice system.

He remained accused of the two killings and faced second-degree murder charges.

Later reporting continued to describe the case as awaiting trial.

The investigation also received television coverage, which brought additional attention to Kelley’s death and the police work behind the case.

The television coverage focused on the detectives who investigated the two murders and the evidence that eventually connected them.

Homicide Squad New Orleans and the Case

The Cayla Kelley case was featured on the television series Homicide Squad New Orleans.

An episode titled “In Cold Blood” covered the investigation into Kelley’s death and the later connection to Eddie Matthews’ killing.

The episode examined how detectives worked through surveillance footage and other evidence to identify Simmons as a suspect.

Television coverage helped introduce the case to a larger audience.

However, viewers should distinguish between documentary coverage and court proceedings.

A television episode can explain an investigation, but it does not determine whether a defendant is legally guilty.

Cayla Kelley’s Career

Before her death, Kelley worked in the beauty industry.

Public reports identify her as a beautician and makeup artist. Her work was associated with the New Orleans area.

Her career was separate from the criminal investigation that later followed her death.

Information about her professional life is not as extensive as the information about the homicide case, but her work in beauty services provides some context about her life before January 2024.

Much of the online information about Kelley now focuses on the circumstances of her death.

Earl Simmons and the DMX Name Confusion

There is another important issue when researching Earl Simmons.

The famous rapper DMX was also born with the name Earl Simmons.

DMX was a completely different person.

The Earl Michael Simmons involved in the Cayla Kelley case is not the rapper.

This distinction matters because online searches for “Earl Simmons” often return large amounts of information about DMX.

Information about DMX’s music career, family, relationships, wealth, and death should not be confused with information about the New Orleans homicide defendant.

Anyone researching the Cayla Kelley case should check the full name and the New Orleans connection.

What Is the Latest Relationship Update?

The latest reliable information does not provide a confirmed romantic relationship between Cayla Kelley and Earl Simmons.

Their connection is relevant because investigators reportedly placed Simmons with Kelley before her death.

That connection became part of the evidence examined during the homicide investigation.

However, there is no strong public record confirming that Simmons was Kelley’s boyfriend, fiancé, husband, or long-term romantic partner.

Therefore, claims describing them as a confirmed couple should be treated carefully.

The available evidence supports saying that they knew each other and had a personal connection.

It does not support making stronger claims about their relationship without additional reliable evidence.

What Is the Latest Case Update?

The most recent publicly available reporting reviewed for this article indicates that Simmons remained involved in the criminal case connected to the deaths of Kelley and Matthews.

He was arrested in January 2024 and charged with second-degree murder.

The case later received television coverage through Homicide Squad New Orleans.

Public reporting has continued to focus on the evidence investigators gathered, including surveillance footage and ballistic evidence.

There has not been enough reliable information to establish a final court outcome beyond the information reported about the pending criminal proceedings.

Because court cases can change over time, future court records and official statements would be the appropriate sources for any new development.

Why the Relationship Claim Needs Care

The phrase “Cayla Kelley and Earl Simmons relationship” can be misleading because it suggests that the nature of their relationship is already known.

It is not.

There is a clear difference between a confirmed fact and an assumption.

It is confirmed through public reporting that Kelley and Simmons knew each other.

It has also been reported that investigators found surveillance footage showing them together.

It is not equally well established that they were romantically involved.

That difference should remain clear in any accurate coverage of the case.

Using unsupported relationship claims can create a false impression about Kelley’s personal life and the circumstances surrounding her death.

For readers looking for reliable information, the homicide investigation is much better documented than the nature of the relationship between Kelley and Simmons.