In the quiet of a Saturday evening in Jefferson County, Arkansas, a domestic scene turned tragically violent, leaving a 64-year-old man, Robert Simmons, dead from gunshot wounds. On March 21, 2020, deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on Princeton Pike, just outside of White Hall, around 7 p.m. following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Robert Simmons unresponsive inside the home.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene by the county deputy coroner less than an hour later.
The investigation into the death of the male victim quickly focused on his wife, 70-year-old Ella Simmons. During questioning, she admitted to shooting her husband. She told investigators that the shooting had been preceded by a heated argument, during which she claimed Robert had been verbally abusing her and following her relentlessly through their house. Fearing that the verbal altercation would escalate to physical violence, Ella stated that she shot him to prevent him from putting his hands on her. Investigators recovered a silver revolver from the home, believed to be the weapon used in the incident. Following her confession, Ella Simmons was arrested and subsequently charged with the murder of her husband. His body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy to determine the precise cause and manner of death.
