In the days leading up to Christmas in 1987, a horrific series of events unfolded in Dover, Arkansas, culminating in the death of Ronald Gene Simmons Jr. and many of his family members. The male victim, who was 29 years old at the time, was one of the first to be killed in a rampage orchestrated by his own father, Ronald Gene Simmons Sr., a retired Air Force sergeant.
On December 22, 1987, Simmons Sr. began his violent spree at the family’s secluded home, known as 'Mockingbird Hill.'
He bludgeoned and shot his son, Ronald Gene Simmons Jr. That same morning, he also murdered his wife, Becky, and his three-year-old granddaughter, Barbara, through a combination of bludgeoning, shooting, and strangulation. The bodies of these first three victims were then discarded in a pit that Simmons Sr. had previously forced his children to dig under the pretense of building a new outhouse.
The tragic events continued as other members of the Simmons family arrived at the home for the holidays. Over the next several days, Simmons Sr. systematically murdered more of his children and grandchildren. His methods were brutal and varied, including shooting, strangulation, and drowning. After killing his family members, he arranged their bodies in neat rows within the home, covering them with coats.
The full scope of the tragedy came to light on December 28, when Ronald Gene Simmons Sr. drove into the nearby town of Russellville and continued his killing spree, targeting former coworkers and acquaintances. He killed two more people and wounded four others before calmly surrendering to the police. It was only after his arrest that authorities discovered the horrific scene at the Simmons family home. Ronald Gene Simmons Sr. was subsequently convicted of sixteen counts of murder and was executed by lethal injection on June 25, 1990, after waiving his right to appeal. He was the sole person arrested and responsible for the death of his son, Ronald Gene Simmons Jr., and the other fifteen victims.
