Brad’s murder affidavit reveals the closest look yet at what investigators believe happened when his wife disappeared.
OLMOS PARK, Texas — Surveillance videos, witness accounts and cell phone records are just some of things investigators used to track down Brad Simpson’s whereabouts after his wife, Suzanne Simpson, disappeared on Oct. 6.
Those details are outlined in a nine-page affidavit, filled out by an Olmos Park Police lieutenant, that alleges Simpson is responsible for his wife’s death. He was arrested on Oct. 9 on family violence charges and was charged with murder on Nov. 7, while still in custody.
A murder arrest affidavit released Tuesday shows how investigators pieced together a timeline of his whereabouts and how they believe his actions point to guilt.
Night of Oct. 6:
8:30 p.m. -Suzanne Simpson leaves with her 5-year-old daughter from a party at the Argyle in Alamo Heights. Surveillance video shows they went to the H-E-B at 300 W. Olmos Drive from 8:41 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. Detectives believe she and her daughter arrived home to their residence at 520 E. Olmos Drive shortly after.
9:16 p.m.- Records show Brad Simpson suspended Suzanne’s cell phone service.
9:25 p.m. – Surveillance video shows Suzanne arrived at a family friend’s house. Her mother told police she called her to say Brad had assaulted her just prior.
10:22 p.m.- Records show Suzanne’s phone was pinged to her home address through the “Find my iPhone” app.
Sometime after 10 p.m. – A neighbor told police he heard the couple arguing and physically struggling with each other in front of their house, adding he saw Suzanne run into the direction of the woods behind their residence, with Brad running after her. The neighbor says he went inside to get a flashlight and when he came out, he heard screams. He saw Brad leave in his truck one hour later. The neighbor said he then heard Brad return one hour after that.
Oct. 7
12:33 a.m.-Surveillance video from the H-E-B at 300 W. Olmos shows Brad Simpson’s truck bed clear of anything except a large ice chest.
7:53 a.m.-Video shows Brad drop off his daughter at school at 7800 Broadway. At this time, two white trash bags with red ties appeared in his truck bed, along with the large ice chest.
9:12 a.m.– Video from a Whataburger in Boerne shows Brad going through the drive-thru of the restaurant. His truck bed at the time allegedly contained three white trash bags, a large heavy-duty trash can, the large ice chest and a large object wrapped in a blue tarp. Over the object wrapped in a blue tarp is a metal firewood rack.
9:53 a.m. -Video shows Brad buying several items from the Home Depot in Boerne, including cement, a bucket, box of heavy-duty trash bags, Clorox disinfectant spray and bug spray.
10:07 a.m.- A witness told police Brad came up to him in the Home Depot parking lot and asked for directions to the nearest dump. The witness provided directions to a Kendall County solid waste facility in Boerne. At this point, investigators say, Brad shut off his cell phone.
Shortly after: Vehicle location data showed Brad’s truck at the Kendall County Solid Waste facility.
11:15 a.m. Brad Simpson stopped at the Valero/Stripes on Johns Road in Boerne, according to surveillance video. The video shows the white trash bags are gone, but the blue tarp and metal rack remain in his truck bed. Surveillance video showed Brad heading from Boerne to Medina County shortly after. Surveillance video showed his truck in Medina County for 13 minutes.
1:41 p.m. Simpson’s vehicle is seen on surveillance video and there no longer the blue tarp in the truck bed. The metal rack was repositioned.
3:47 p.m. Simpson is seen on surveillance video picking up his daughter from school. At that time, the blue tarp and metal rack are not in the truck bed. But the large trash can and ice chest remain.
4:07 p.m. Simpson’s truck is seen on surveillance video getting a car wash at the Bubble Bath Carwash.
Oct. 8
4:35 p.m. The phone of James Cotter, who is facing charges and stands accused of helping hide a gun for Brad Simpson, recording the following messages:
Simpson: “If you’re in Bandera, can you haul ass and meet me at your house? I don’t have much time.”
Cotter: “I’ll be there in 40 minutes.”
Simpson: “Make sure to leave all that stuff into the pump house, especially the gun.”
8:31 p.m. Phone records show further texts between Cotter and Simpson.
Cotter: “Get over here. I won’t tell anyone.”
Cotter: “You’re my brother.”
Oct. 9
Brad Simpson was arrested on family violence and unlawful restraint charges at his Boerne property. Those charges were later dropped once the murder charge was applied.