Do you know what happened to Renee Simmons? On a day just three days before Christmas, a sense of quiet concern led to a grim discovery in an eastern Las Vegas valley home. Renee Simmons, a 58-year-old Caucasian woman, and her partner, Thomas Dufault, 59, were found deceased inside their residence on Vader Avenue on December 22, 2017. The couple was discovered after a nurse and a home care provider arrived for a scheduled appointment around 10:40 a.m. and received no answer at the door.
After looking through a window and seeing a person lying on the floor, they immediately called 911.
Upon entering the home, authorities found both Simmons and Dufault had been shot in what was quickly determined to be a double homicide. The initial investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department found no signs of forced entry into the residence. Homicide detectives noted that the home was cluttered, but there were no indications of a robbery, such as ransacked cabinets. Renee's brother, Eddie Katz, who had not spoken with his sister for several years, expressed his shock and disbelief, stating that his sister did not have many valuables. He noted that she was still wearing her jewelry when she was found, which made the motive even more mysterious.
In the years following the tragic event, the case has grown cold, and the question of who murdered Renee Simmons and Thomas Dufault remains unanswered. As of late 2017, no arrests had been made, and no suspects had been publicly identified. The murder weapon was not recovered from the scene. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has continued to ask for the public's assistance, hoping that a witness or someone with information will come forward to bring resolution to the couple's violent deaths. Their deaths were recorded as the 215th and 216th homicides investigated in Las Vegas that year.
