SAN ANTONIO — Brad Simpson, the Olmos Park man suspected of killing his wife, Suzanne Simpson, has been indicted on several charges – including murder – by a Bexar County grand jury two months after police started searching for her.
Brad, 53, was also indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing injury, tampering with a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and possession of a prohibited weapon. He faces anywhere from two to 99 years or life in prison if convicted, depending on which charges he's found guilty of.
The suspect's family, which has cooperated with the police investigation while Brad has remained quiet, said they were "deeply troubled and heartbroken."
"We have faith in our criminal justice system and believe that the grand jury has done their sworn duty to review the evidence and determine that it is sufficient to more forward to trial," Bart Simpson, Brad's brother, wrote on social media. "We urge Brad to do the right thing by fully cooperating with the authorities. For the sake of his children and the family who loves him, we ask him to accept responsibility and place himself at the mercy of the court."
Brad's legal team had asked for an examination hearing that could have resulted in his release from prison depending on a judge's findings. That hearing, scheduled for Dec. 9, has now been cancelled in light of Tuesday's grand jury decision.
The indictments represent the latest in a case that's thrust Brad into the headlines as authorities continue searching for any evidence of his 51-year-old wife's remains. He has been uncooperative in the ongoing police investigation ever since being taken into custody on Oct. 9, two days after he reported Suzanne missing.
What investigators have uncovered
Initially accused of assault and unlawful restraint after a neighbor told police he saw the two in a physical struggle the night of Oct. 6, police later filed a charge of murder against Brad on Nov. 7—a month to the day when he reported her missing, and allegedly only after Suzanne's friend called police first.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators were able to pinpoint Brad's whereabouts in the early days of Suzanne's absence. He allegedly was driving around with a "large bulky item wrapped and secured in a blue tarp" in the bed of his truck and bought cement, Clorox disinfectant and insect repellant with cash at a Home Depot.
While at the store, he also allegedly asked someone in the parking lot where the nearest dump was. In an August exchange with her personal banker, Suzanne – a well-known realtor in the community – said "that if she went missing to look for her in a lake," according to Brad's murder affidavit.
Olmos Park PD officials said the investigation, which involved the efforts of state authorities, uncovered probably cause that Brad Simpson "intentionally and knowingly" caused Suzanne's death. Law enforcement have looked in multiple counties for her, including the family's home and a landfill east of San Antonio.
"We extend our deep sympathies to the family of Suzanne Simpson as we move forward in the pursuit of justice," Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a release.
A date for the start of Brad's trial has not yet been set.
Last month, one of the lead prosecutors on Gonzales' team told KENS 5 that, even without Suzanne's remains or a definitive cause of her death, the case could still be brought before a jury if there's enough circumstantial evidence.
“I think sometimes people hear the word circumstantial and almost has a negative connotation, the great majority of all cases proven throughout criminal law are circumstantial cases,” Assistant District Attorney Steven Speir said. “As in any one of our cases, we’re always seeking justice for our victims."
The newest detail shared in the affidavits: Brad allegedly tried to conceal a reciprocating saw "with intent to impair its availability as evidence in the investigation" on Oct. 8, as law enforcement were zeroing in on him. The tools are typically small, handheld and machine-powered.
How much prison time does he face?
Brad Simpson is not contending with the possibility of spending two to 99 years or even the rest of his life in prison, depending on how the case unfolds from here.
It also depends on which charges he's found guilty of. Here's a breakdown:
- Murder (first-degree felony): Five to 99 years or life in prison.
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury to a family member (first-degree felony): Five to 99 years or life in prison.
- Tampering with a corpse (second-degree felony): Two to 20 years in prison.
- Tampering with physical evidence (third-degree felony): Two to 10 years in prison.
- Possession of a prohibited weapon (third-degree felony): Two to 10 years in prison.