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James David J.D. Chaffin

Case from Russellville, AR dated Dec 28, 1987

Victim Details

James David J.D. Chaffin

Male

Russellville

AR

1987-12-28

33

James

David J.D. Chaffin

07/05/2026

Case Description

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In the winter of 1987, the community of Russellville, Arkansas, was irrevocably scarred by a chilling sequence of events that claimed the life of James David 'JD' Chaffin. A 33-year-old firefighter, Chaffin was a man caught in the maelstrom of another's rage on December 28th. His death was not an isolated incident but part of a horrific killing spree perpetrated by Ronald Gene Simmons, a retired Air Force sergeant. Chaffin, a stranger to his killer, was simply in the wrong place at the wrong tim ...
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Links to Additional Sources (3)

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  • James David “Jim” Chaffin (1954-1987) - Find a...
  • Encyclopedia of Arkansas: Encyclopedia of Arkansas
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    Forum Posts (3)

    I'm truly saddened by the loss of Jim Chaffin, especially knowing he was there doing his job and was... ...Read More
    07/12/2024
    I've been reading about the tragic events that unfolded on December 28, 1987, and my thoughts are wi... ...Read More
    04/27/2024
    I came across this tragedy while diving into some dark cases from the past and couldn’t believe th... ...Read More
    04/15/2024
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