The husband of missing Texas realtor Suzanne Simpson showed ‘no emotion’ in the days after her disappearance, new court documents reveal.
Brad Simpson, 53, was allegedly indifferent when he reported his wife of 22 years and mother of his two children disappeared seven weeks ago. He was charged on November 7 with her murder despite her body not being found.
Detectives said in a newly unsealed arrest affidavit that his chilling behavior was a factor in them believing Brad ‘intentionally and knowingly caused the death’ of his wife on October 6 in San Antonio.
His emotionless response to the episode continued three days after she was officially recognized as missing, when Brad was initially charged with assault causing bodily injury, family violence and unlawful restraint.
The affidavit alleged he ‘did not appear surprised at the time of his arrest’ nor ‘question’ why he was apprehended.
When interviewed by a Texas Ranger, Brad appeared ‘unconcerned about his wife being missing and showed little to no emotion,’ the ranger noted per the affidavit, also observing he had several scratches and lacerations on his hands and arms.
It comes weeks after the final known image of Suzanne surfaced from the day she vanished, showing her walking through her exclusive Texas country club.
Hours later, she was said to have been seen screaming as she ran from the mansion she shared with her husband, with police alleging she was the victim of domestic violence.
Texas authorities said that Brad was initially cooperative with police, but alleged he has given conflicting stories when pressed for details over his wife’s disappearance.
He initially claimed he last saw her at 11pm on October 6, hours after the picture at the country club was taken.
At another point he claimed he last saw her at around 6:30am on October 7, shortly before he said he dropped one of their children off at school.
He claimed to detectives that he ‘peeked into a separate room and observed his wife asleep’ that morning.
When investigators searched through his phone, they reportedly found he had ‘engaged in a series of complete shutdowns’ starting at 11:09pm on October 6, and ending the next day.
He was allegedly going further than turning his phone off, and instead put it on ‘Lock Down’ mode, which his arrest affidavit notes is classed by the FBI as ‘done by a person who wants to avoid detection.’
A neighbor claimed that shortly before that first 11pm shut down, they witnessed Brad and Suzanne in the midst of a heated argument in their garage, and were ‘physically struggling’ with each other.
At some point, they said Suzanne ‘was attempting to get away from Mr. Simpson’s grasp as he tried to pull her downward’, and he then chased after her when she ran away screaming, per the affidavit.
The neighbor claimed they heard screams from a wooded area, before Brad re-emerged around an hour later and drove off in his truck.
The new affidavit also said the couple’s five-year-old child was questioned by a school counselor, and the child claimed on the night of October 6 Brad ‘pushed her mother against the wall, hit (physically) her mother on the face and hurt her mother’s elbow inside their residence.’
Brad also allegedly ‘turned off her mother’s phone because they were fighting.’
Authorities said they believe Suzanne died that night and have seen no evidence she is alive based on cellphone records, financial records, family, friends and co-workers, reports Fox News.
Brad’s brother Barton Simpson previously told the outlet: ‘It is heartbreaking, but it brings our family some peace to know that authorities have gathered sufficient evidence to feel confident in moving forward with charges.
‘This also helps us come to terms with the reality that Suzanne is no longer with us, allowing us to begin the difficult grieving process and focus on rebuilding our lives, especially for the sake of the children and our extended family.’
Investigations are ongoing, and according to My San Antonio, local law enforcement has expanded its search to include other Simpson family properties.
Simpson and his family have an extensive real estate portfolio throughout San Antonio and broader Texas.
A thorough investigation of the four bed, five bath Olmos Park family home, worth an estimated $1.5million, has already taken place.
But Villegas said authorities are in the process of obtaining further search warrants to expand that search to a handful of other properties linked to the family, the publication reported.
