A Florida real estate tycoon named Brad Simpson has been charged with murdering his wife, Suzanne Simpson, who has been missing. According to authorities, Brad was seen driving with suspicious items, including trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can, and a large bulky item wrapped in a blue tarp, as he searched for a dump the day after Suzanne vanished. The affidavit also mentions that Brad was seen buying cement and Clorox wipes on October 7, the day after his wife was last seen fighting with him outside their home.
After the alleged fight, Brad dropped off one of their children at school and then was seen at a Whataburger in Boerne, Texas, with items such as trash bags, a trash can, an ice chest, and a large bulky item wrapped in a tarp in the back of his truck. He was then observed purchasing items like cement, trash bags, and Clorox disinfectant spray at a Home Depot, after which he inquired about the nearest dump and turned off his cellular device intentionally. Later, his truck was seen leaving the dump and he changed into work boots.
The following day, Brad drove to a car wash and was caught on security cameras washing out his car, with visible dried cement splashes near the rear. A friend of Suzanne’s tried to reach her that night but called the police to report her missing when she couldn’t. Brad initially told the police that Suzanne had lost her cell phone at a party the couple attended before she vanished, but it was later discovered that her phone was suspended at her request the night she went missing.
Brad was arrested on October 8 and charged with family violence and unlawful restraint, but the charges have been elevated to murder as authorities believe Suzanne is dead. During a search of the couple’s home, authorities found cell phones and a laptop in a burn pit that belonged to Brad. They also discovered notes confessing to assaulting his wife in the past. Suzanne’s personal banker had alleged that Brad was physically abusive towards her and Suzanne had told her to look for her in a lake if she went missing.
Conversations between Brad and his former business partner revealed suspicious texts discussing meeting urgently and leaving certain items in a pump house. The partner was later charged with tampering with evidence. Further investigations revealed that Suzanne had confided in others about Brad’s abuse and paranoia regarding her phone being tracked. Despite extensive search efforts, Suzanne’s body has not been located, and Brad is being held on a $5 million bond in the Bexar County jail. At a Child Protective Services hearing, Brad claimed he last spoke to Suzanne on the night of her disappearance, but more details are likely to emerge as the case progresses.
