Brad Simpson, the husband of missing Texas Realtor Suzanne Simpson, is behind bars accused of murdering the 51-year-old mother of four, and her longtime business partner was formally charged in the investigation this week.
James “Val” Cotter was indicted by a grand jury Monday on charges of tampering with evidence with intent to impair an investigation and possession of a prohibited weapon, according to Bexar County Jail records. KSAT reported.
couture, Brad Simpson’s old friend And the business partner is accused of hiding Simpson’s gun after exchanging a series of ominous messages with his wife on October 8, two days after her disappearance and before Simpson’s arrest on October 9.
“If you are in Bandera, can you come to my house to meet me?” Simpson allegedly texted, according to an affidavit. “I don’t have much time.”
Cotter replied, “I’ll be there in 40 minutes.” Simpson then wrote, “Okay, be sure and leave whatever you have in the pump house, especially the gun.”
Simpson reportedly said, “Sorry for the urgency, but especially now all I’ve got is you…social media is destroying me.”
Later that day, Cotter texted Simpson, “Get over here!! I won’t tell anyone,” followed by the text, “You’re my brother.”
According to authorities, Cotter allegedly hid Simpson’s AK-47 in a wall of his home. Police said the firearm, which had been modified into a “machine gun”, was not properly registered.
Cotter was arrested on October 21 and charged with tampering with evidence and possession of a prohibited weapon, both third-degree felonies. He was released from custody last month after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $100,000, local outlets report.
He cannot have contact with Brad Simpson or possess a firearm, and as terms of the bond, he was fitted with a GPS monitor.
Officials said his case is related to the investigation The disappearance of Suzanne Simpson.
Records show Suzanne went missing on October 6 after allegedly fighting with her husband of 22 years in front of their home in Olmos Park in the San Antonio area. However, his body has not been recovered. According to the indictments, authorities believe Simpson “knowingly and knowingly caused Suzanne’s death on or about Sunday, October 6”.
A neighbor reportedly saw Simpson attack his wife on the night of her disappearance and later heard screams coming from nearby woods, while the couple’s 5-year-old child told a school counselor that on the evening of October 6, The father allegedly “pushed” her mother against a wall, hit her in the face (physically) and bruised her mother’s elbow inside the residence, according to the affidavit” and “Also turned off his mother’s phone because they were fighting”.
On November 7, Brad was charged with Susan’s murder.
ksat
On December 3, a Bexar County grand jury indicted Simpson on two first-degree felony charges – murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, causing serious bodily injury to a family member. These charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
He was also charged with tampering with a corpse, two additional counts of tampering with physical evidence and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Suzanne’s DNA was reportedly found On the “reciprocating saw”, which law enforcement has accused Simpson of hiding, according to indictment records and KABB reporting.
“Knowing that there is an investigation in progress, namely a missing persons investigation,” Simpson said. , Hide an item, namely a reciprocating saw, on October 8, two days after his wife’s disappearance, the indictment reads.
The indictments also state that on October 7, Simpson “then and there, knowing that a crime had been committed, committed murder, altered, destroyed, and concealed the human body, as evidence in the subsequent investigation revealed.” relating to murder with intent to impair its availability in the form.”
Authorities said there were no signs of Suzanne being alive since her husband allegedly assaulted her on October 6, and this has been verified by her cellphone records, financial records, family, friends and coworkers.
(TagstoTranslate)US News(T)Missing Persons(T)San Antonio(T)Texas(T)True Crime
