The Bloody Truth (Pt. 3)

Sometimes evil exists. There is no explanation for it, and trying to find one is an effort in futility. This is never more evident than when a parent murders their child in cold blood. It is unfortunate that is has become commonplace to see yet another story in the media about a mother killing her child or children. It less often occurs with men, but it happens far too often. These are the men that make us hold our children a little tighter at night. After all, if they would murder their own flesh and blood, what would they do to you and yours?

James A. Day

It was a normal October morning for Candace Day as she left her house at 106 E. Iowa in Evansville, Indiana for her job at the post office. As was usual for her, she clocked in to her job at 2:30 that morning. She finished her shift and returned home at ten that morning. She had no idea what awaited her when she returned home.

Sherri Grayson was listening to her radio at a fairly high volume in her home, adjacent to the Day's home. She ran outside when a woman's scream reached over the volume of the music and met her ears. She found a frantic Candace on the ground screaming something about her children. Sherri stood to run in the house to see for herself what was wrong when Candace screamed at her, "No! Don't go in there!"

Evansville police responded to the 9-1-1 call and found their worst nightmare. 36-year-old James A. Day, an electrician at Whirlpool, was sitting in the living room recliner, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, a .22 caliber pistol in his hand. Police searched the rest of the house and found six more deceased. Michael (15), Bart (14), John (9), Stephen (8), Christopher (7), and Laura (6) were found in their beds. A single gunshot to each of their heads had ended their young lives. Six children were dead at the hands of their father, and their mother was at a complete loss as to why.

It didn't take long for investigators to find the Days had anything but a perfect marriage. In fact, it had been 17 years of drunken rages from John, often culminating in domestic abuse against Candace. Neighbor Claudette Thompson recalled having taken Candace and all six children to a battered women's shelter because John had threatened his wife and their children with a gun during a drunken episode. May of 1983 saw a divorce petition Candace filed with the Vanderburgh County Court. She applied for a Temporary Protection Order, and it was granted. Six months later, Candace would drop both with no further explanation. Police interviewed Max Thompson, a friend of the two older boys, who explained that both of the boys told him their father beat them with his fists.

This was a senseless killing with no answer as to what set John off that October morning in 1984, and no clue as to why he picked that day or why he felt it necessary to murder his children.

Ronald Gene Simmons

Ronald Gene Simmons rose from his bed on the morning of December 22, 1987, went to his local Walmart, purchased a .22 caliber pistol and began a killing spree that would span over six days and end the lives of 16 people, 14 of which were members of his immediate family. He was a man that needed to be in control, and he was losing control quickly. He took back control of his life when he murdered everyone that he felt had rejected or tested his resolve.

Ronald was born of the union of William and Loretta Simmons, though his father would suffer a fatal stroke in January of 1943, when Ronald was just two-and-a-half years old. One year later, his mother remarried William D. Griffin, who was a civil engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers. It was William's job that took the family from Chicago to Little Rock, Arkansas. The first of what would be several moves throughout Arkansas over the next 10 years of his life. September 15, 1957, Ronald dropped out of school, instead opting for the United States Navy. It was while stationed at Naval Station Bremerton in Washington state that Ronald met his future wife, Bersabe Rebecca Ulibarri. Their marriage would take place in July of 1960 in New Mexico. Theirs was a marriage that would continue over the next eighteen years, and seven children born of the union. Ronald continued his career in the Navy until 1963, though his military retirement wouldn't last long. Two years later, Ronald enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he would remain for the next twenty years. His military service record was impeccable, and he was well respected. Ronald was awarded a Bronze Star Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Air Force Ribbon for Excellent Marksmanship. November 30, 1979, Ronald retired from the military and did his best at living civilian life.

Three years after Ronald retired from the Air Force, Cloudcraft, New Mexico Child Protection Services knocked on his door with allegations of abusing his eldest daughter, 17-year-old Sheila. Ronald knew if he stayed in New Mexico, the impending birth of the child he had fathered with his daughter would surely lead to his arrest and conviction, so he moved the family first to Ward, Arkansas, then settling in Dover, Arkansas.

Ronald found the perfect home for his family on a 13-acre plot of land they referred to as "Mockingbird Hill." The home was two large mobile homes that had been stuck together. There were no phones or indoor plumbing in the home, and a large privacy fence surrounded the property, with the fence 10 feet high in places. He and his family were secluded, and everyone left them alone. It was the way Ronald liked things. He could remain in control that way.

The morning of December 22, after returning home from Walmart with his newly purchased pistol and ammunition, Ronald wasted no time getting his murder spree started. He bludgeoned and then shot his eldest son, Ronald Gene Simmons Jr. (29). He then turned the gun on his long-suffering wife, shooting and killing her. His youngest daughter, Barbara (3), was strangled to death. After he sat and had a beer, he dumped the bodies in the cesspit he had made his children dig just the day before. He covered the bodies in kerosene and then layered barbed wire and dirt on top of them. He returned to the quiet of his home to drink another beer and wait for his children to return from school.

When the school bus arrived with his children, he told them that he had a present for each of them, but it was special and he wanted to give each of them their gifts in private. He told the kids he would be back to get them, one at a time, and called Loretta (17) outside. Ronald drowned his daughter by holding her head under water in the rain barrel. Eddy (14), Marianne (11), and Becky (8) were called outside for their promised special present and suffered a similar fate.

For four days, Ronald lived with the bodies laid out on the floor of his home. The 28th day of December brought another round of blood shed and loss of life when his son and his family came for their planned visit. It was a visit they were all excited about because it would be the first time the entire family would be together. Ronald made sure they would remain together forever in death. He shot Billy (23) and his wife Renata (22) with a .22 caliber pistol. He attempted to strangle Trae, his 20-month-old grandson, then changed his mind and tossed the infant in a barrel of water inside the kitchen, drowning the innocent little boy. Later that day, his favored daughter, Sheila arrived with her family. Sheila and husband Dennis McNutly were both shot as they entered the house. The child that was the product of his incestuous relationship with Sheila, Sylvia Grace (7), and her half-brother, 20-month-old Michael, were strangled. Ronald laid the bodies in a neat row in the living room of the house, carefully covering each with coats—except Sheila. Sheila was found covered in her mother's best tablecloth.

Ronald Gene Simmons Sr. tidied the bodies and did the only thing he could do, he went to the local bar and had a few drinks. He spent that night and the next drinking beer and watching television, oblivious to the bodies of his family members on the floor of his living room. What happened next would rock an Arkansas community to its core.

December 28, 1987, Ronald drove to the Peel, Eddy, and Gibbons law office where Kathy Kendrick (24) worked as a receptionist. Kathy had become an object of desire for Ronald. He stalked her mercilessly, showing up where she lived and sending flowers to her. She was much younger than he and found him, frankly, creepy. She rejected his advances and for that, she had to die. He unceremoniously walked in to the office, shot her and left. His next stop was Taylor Oil, where he was after his former boss, Russell "Rusty" Taylor. Rusty owned the convenience store he was formerly employed at. He shot and wounded Rusty, shot at another employee and missed, finally killing full-time fireman and part-time truck driver for Taylor Oil, J.D. Chaffin (33). Ronald quickly fled that location, entering the Sinclair Mini Mart, where he shot and wounded Roberta Woolery and David Salyer. Ronald ended his half-hour reign of terror in the offices of Woodline Motor Freight. Ronald was previously employed there, but had been fired when allegations of sexual misconduct were filed against him. He made quick work of finding his former supervisor, Joyce Butts and shot her in the head and chest. He then calmly took Vicky Jackson hostage at gunpoint, ordering her to the computer room. Once inside the room, Simmons ordered her to call the police. She did as she was instructed, leaving her with a calm Ronald Gene Simmons while they waited for police to arrive. He told Vicky that she need not worry, he wouldn't hurt her. He had done what he set out to do. He had gotten everyone who had hurt him.

His trial ended with 16 death sentences. Ronald Gene Simmons agreed and thought it should be done quickly. In one statement, he said, "To those who oppose the death penalty-in my particular case, anything short of death would be cruel and unusual punishment."

Life in prison was not easy for Ronald. His fellow death row inmates hated him, believing that his refusal to file any appeal to his sentence being carried out would hurt their chances on appeal. In a landmark case, the Supreme Court heard Whitmore v. Arkansas. Jonas Whitmore, also a death row inmate, attempted to force an appeal. In a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court threw the case out.

May 31, 1990, then Arkansas governor, Bill Clinton signed the execution warrant for June 25, 1990. Ronald Gene Simmons holds the record for the fastest sentence-to-execution duration since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Simmons refused all visits, counsel and clergy included. He left this earth with the final words, "Justice delayed finally be done is justifiable homicide. Ronald Gene Simmons rests in a pauper's grave, as his body was unwanted and unclaimed by family members.