In the quiet community of Dover, Arkansas, the holiday season of 1987 was irrevocably shattered by a horrific act of violence that began within the confines of a family home. William Billy Simmons II, a 23-year-old white male, arrived at his father's house on December 26th for what was meant to be a festive gathering. Accompanying him were his wife, Renata, and their 20-month-old son, William 'Trae' Simmons III.
Instead of holiday cheer, they were met with unimaginable violence.
The perpetrator of this tragedy was William's own father, Ronald Gene Simmons. Upon their arrival, Ronald shot and killed both William and Renata. He then tragically ended the life of his young grandson, Trae. This brutal act was not an isolated incident but rather part of a larger, calculated massacre. Over the course of several days, Ronald Gene Simmons murdered 14 members of his own family in what would become the deadliest familicide in United States history.
The horrific crime spree extended beyond the family home. On December 28th, Ronald Simmons drove into the nearby town of Russellville and continued his violent rampage, killing two more people and injuring four others. His path of destruction finally came to an end when he surrendered to the police.
Following his arrest, the full scope of Ronald Gene Simmons's crimes came to light. He was charged with multiple counts of capital murder. In two separate trials, he was convicted of the murders of 16 people. Simmons waived all of his rights to appeal and was executed by lethal injection on June 25, 1990.
