SAN ANTONIO – The search for Suzanne Clark Simpson is ongoing.
The Olmos Park mother of four and Realtor was last seen on Sunday, Oct. 6, and her husband, Brad Simpson, has since been charged with murder in connection with her presumed death.
>> What we know about missing Olmos Park woman Suzanne Clark Simpson
Here’s a timeline of events in this case:
Sunday, Oct. 6:
- The couple attended a party at The Argyle, a private dinner club on Patterson Avenue in Alamo Heights, before returning to their home, which they share with their two children. Olmos Park Police Chief Fidel Villegas said the couple fought at that event.
- Brad Simpson claimed that his wife lost her cell phone while at a local H-E-B. Minutes after leaving the party, Suzanne Simpson is seen at a local H-E-B with her young daughter, according to an affidavit.
- After leaving H-E-B, at 9:15 p.m., Suzanne Simpson called a family friend and went to their house. Around 9:16 p.m., she also called her mother to say that Brad Simpson had just assaulted her.
- Authorities later learned that Suzanne Simpson’s cell phone was suspended “at the request of the subscriber” at around 9:16 p.m. on Oct. 6, contradicting Brad Simpson’s initial statements that she lost her phone at H-E-B, the affidavit states.
- It is unclear when Suzanne Simpson returned from her friend’s home.
- A neighbor told police that between 10-11 p.m., he heard an argument outside his bedroom window that became louder and “seemed closer to his window.” When the neighbor looked out his window, he saw the Simpsons in a physical altercation, an arrest warrant affidavit stated. He said Suzanne Clark Simpson was trying to get away from Brad Simpson as he tried to pull her down. It appeared Brad Simpson “was clearly attempting to keep Ms. Simpson from running away,” the neighbor told authorities, according to the affidavit.
- The neighbor told authorities he last saw the couple heading westbound. The neighbor went outside to investigate, and a short time later, he heard two to three screams from a brushy area east of his home, the affidavit states.
- About an hour later, the neighbor saw Brad Simpson start his black GMC pickup truck and leave his house. The neighbor told authorities he saw Brad Simpson return one to two hours later. The neighbor did not call the police but told them the account he was questioned at a later date.
Monday, Oct. 7:
- The last activity on Suzanne Simpson’s phone was around 7:15 a.m., according to police. The coordinates showed the phone was in a business parking lot in Olmos Park.
- Brad Simpson’s murder warrant states that on the morning of Oct. 7, he dropped off his young child at school and the bed of his truck contained at least two white trash bags and a large ice chest.
- Around 9:15 a.m., Brad Simpson went to a Whataburger in Boerne, and the bed of his truck contained three white trash bags, a large heavy-duty trash can, an ice chest and a large, bulky item wrapped and secured in a blue tarp, the affidavit states.
- Around 9:53 a.m., geolocation data pointed Brad Simpson at a Home Depot in Boerne, where video surveillance showed he purchased two bags of cement, a construction bucket with a lid, a box of 32-ounce heavy-duty trash bags, one bottle of Clorox disinfectant spray and insect repellent, according to the affidavit.
- While in the parking lot of the Home Depot, he asked a man for directions to the nearest dump in Boerne, the affidavit states.
- After leaving the store, Brad Simpson intentionally placed his phone in “lock down” mode after he spoke with the man in the parking lot, the affidavit states.
- At some point, Brad Simpson’s truck was seen leaving the waste site in Boerne. He then headed to a gas station in Boerne and bought two one-gallon jugs of water, according to the affidavit.
- Surveillance footage showed the trash bags were no longer in the bed of the truck, but he still had the blue tarp, firewood rack and trash can. He had also changed his shoes from sandals to cowboy boots, the affidavit added.
- After he left the gas station, he headed westbound from Boerne in Kendall County to Bandera County, the affidavit states.
- Around 1:41 p.m., a license plate reader captured Brad Simpson’s truck heading back to Kendall County. At that time, the blue tarp was no longer visible in the bed of his truck, with the fire rack repositioned, according to the affidavit.
- At 3 p.m., a school where the Simpson’s children are students called Brad Simpson and advised him that their child had not been picked up, the affidavit from Oct. 9 states. Suzanne Simpson typically picks up their child from school, Brad Simpson told police, according to the affidavit.
- Around 3:30 p.m., Brad Simpson arrived to pick up his child and the bed of his truck did not contain the firewood rack, surveillance video showed. He did have a heavy-duty trash can and ice chest at that time, according to an affidavit from Nov. 12.
- At 4:10 p.m., Brad Simpson went to a car wash and cleaned the inside of his truck, the affidavit states. The video showed “dried cement splashes” near the rear passenger compartment and bed. Only the ice chest was visible inside the bed of the truck.
- On the night of Oct. 7, a friend of Suzanne Simpson called Brad Simpson about concerns about her disappearance. At that time, he had not yet called the police or 911. He had also told authorities he saw his wife on the morning of Oct. 7 as he was leaving to drop off his young child at school. Her friend ended up calling the police at around 9:57 p.m. on Oct. 6.
- Around 10 p.m., Brad Simpson reported his wife missing.
Tuesday, Oct. 8:
- At some point, Brad Simpson became uncooperative with investigators and failed to show up for an interview. Police learned that he relocated to his ranch in Bandera County, the affidavit stated.
- Investigators questioned Brad Simpson’s brother, Barton Simpson, who told police that Brad Simpson had called him and apologized for all the problems he had caused, the affidavit stated.
- The affidavit states that on Oct. 8, Brad Simpson texted James Cotter, a longtime business associate: “If you’re in Bandera, can you haul ass and meet me at your house?” ... “I don’t have much time...”
Cotter responded: “I will be there in 40 minutes.”
Brad Simpson responded: “OK, make sure and leave all that s*** into the pump house, especially the gun.”
Cotter: “Get over here!! I won’t tell anyone.”
Cotter: “You’re my brother.”
- At 4:30 p.m., police interviewed staff at the school one of their children attends. The child told staff that her parents were “fighting” and that her dad assaulted her mom and took her phone away, the affidavit states. The child also said Suzanne Simpson had a bruise on her elbow.
- Olmos Park police released a missing person flyer to news outlets around 1 p.m.
- In the afternoon/evening, neighbors and friends started to show up in the area to pass out flyers and search for Suzanne Simpson.
- At 9:50 p.m., police questioned Simpson’s neighbor, who told them what he saw on the night of Oct. 6.
Wednesday, Oct. 9:
- At 12:42 a.m., police obtained an arrest warrant for Brad Simpson on charges of assault-family violence and unlawful restraint.
- He “did not appear surprised at the time of his arrest,” the affidavit states, adding that authorities noticed lacerations and bruises on his arms and hands. He also appeared “unconcerned” and “showed little emotion” about her disappearance.
- At around 1:30 a.m., the Texas Department of Public Safety and Kendall County Sheriff’s Office took Brad Simpson into custody near 542 East Mile Marker on Interstate 10, according to the sheriff.
- Brad Simpson was booked into the Kendall County Jail after 4 a.m. and his bond was later set at $1 million a charge.
>> AFFIDAVIT: Missing Olmos Park woman’s husband ‘uncooperative,’ neighbor heard screams after fight
- At 10 a.m., two of Suzanne Simpson’s friends spoke with KSAT, describing her as a good friend to them and a great mother to four children. They said they were heartbroken about her disappearance but hopeful that she would be found alive.
- Villegas held a media briefing, announcing the arrest of Brad Simpson. Villegas mentioned that investigators found two items in the woods, but he did not offer specifics. He said he was not able to determine yet whether they were connected to Suzanne Simpson.
- Texas Rangers executed a search warrant at a home in Bandera County and located a burn site with a burnt laptop and multiple cell phones belonging to Brad Simpson, according to an affidavit.
- Two notes recovered from one of his cell phones were titled “This next life” and “Last will and testament.” The notes included apologies for physically assaulting his wife in August 2023 and again on Oct. 6, the affidavit states.
Thursday, Oct. 10:
- The Texas Rangers searched Brad Simpson’s vehicle. Stains from his vehicle tested positive for blood, which was later determined to belong to Brad Simpson, according to the affidavit from Nov. 12.
- In the morning, police took down the crime scene tape from outside the Simpson home and opened East Olmos to traffic again. They condensed their command post to an area within one block along East Contour.
- At 8 a.m., a detective confirmed in a phone call that investigators completed a search of the home, but he declined to offer any details on what they may have found.
- Brad Simpson was taken to the Bexar County Jail after being transferred from Kendall County.
>> Rumor mill working overtime as police put in long hours searching for missing Olmos Park woman
- Brad Simpson’s mother, who did not reveal her name, told KSAT, “I’m in total disbelief ... we are a devastated family and we do need privacy and that’s all we’re asking for because our only concern right now are these children and these grandchildren.”
- At 4 p.m., Villegas held another media briefing and released a photo from a security camera showing Suzanne Simpson outside The Argyle.
Friday, Oct. 11:
- Federal authorities placed a hold on Brad Simpson. A federal hold, or detainer, is a request from a federal agency to keep an inmate in custody or to notify the agency before his or her release.
- Authorities searched the 33000 block of I-10, near Highway 87 — about a mile away from where Brad Simpson was arrested. The search lasted from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Authorities did not say if anything of significance was found.
Saturday, Oct. 12:
- A warrant to search a southeast Bexar County landfill for any clues regarding Suzanne Simpson’s disappearance was signed after being filed under seal by the Texas DPS.
Sunday, Oct. 13:
- A prayer vigil was held for Suzanne Simpson at Lourdes Grotto on Blanco Road. Her mother, Barbra Clark, spoke at the vigil. “I just don’t understand. I don’t understand why it happened. It wasn’t part of their life,” she told KSAT.
- Barton Tinsley Simpson, Suzanne Simpson’s brother-in-law, released a new statement on social media on Sunday morning. “We are also deeply thankful to the community and to everyone who has supported and continues to support the search,” Barton Tinsley Simpson said. “To all of you who have reached out with love and encouragement, please know that your support means the world to us. We will not stop until we find her.”
Monday, Oct. 14:
- KSAT was made aware of the search happening at the landfill in southeast Bexar County, beginning KSAT’s daily coverage of the search.
- A bond hearing for Brad Simpson was canceled due to the federal hold. It had been scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Tuesday, Oct. 15:
- The search at the landfill continued.
- In an email to Olmos Park residents, Villegas revealed that evidence, statements, and further investigation led officers to the landfill.
- In a post on X, formerly Twitter, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the Olmos Park police asked for SAPD’s help in the search. McManus said 25 cadets assisted on Tuesday.
- An affidavit revealed Brad Simpson now faces a federal charge for illegally owning a short-barreled rifle. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the affidavit. This charge is the reason Brad Simpson has a federal detainer on his release from the Bexar County Jail.
>> Brad Simpson faces federal charge for illegally owning short-barreled rifle, records show
Wednesday, Oct. 16:
- The search at the landfill continued.
- The brother of Brad Simpson, Barton Simpson, condemned his brother on social media. He released the following statement on social media:
“Until Brad chooses to cooperate, we will continue cooperate for him, as we have from the very beginning of this heartbreaking ordeal. This is not how he was raised, and this is not who we are. Our parents instilled in us the values of honoring and protecting others, and they are truly remarkable people.
“The devastation this has caused to our family is overwhelming. Brad’s refusal to cooperate is unacceptable. My sister and brother-in-law have stepped up to take care of the children, but the impact on our parents has been shattering. Our lives have been irreparably changed.
“We will not rest until we find Suzanne.”
Barton T. Simpson
Thursday, Oct. 17:
- The search at the landfill ended. Texas DPS said they found no evidence connected to Suzanne Simpson at the site.
Saturday, Oct. 19:
- City of Olmos Park Mayor Erin Harrison said the search would resume within city limits.
- The mayor said the Olmos Park Police Department has enlisted the resources of Texas Search and Rescue, an Austin-based nonprofit organization.
- Harrison said OPPD and Texas Search and Rescue’s search for Suzanne Simpson “will now focus on the wooded areas in and around Olmos Park.” He said the department has not requested volunteers in its search for Suzanne Simpson.
Monday, Oct. 21:
- A longtime business associate of Brad Simpson was arrested on felony charges. James Valle Cotter, 65, faces felony charges of tampering with evidence with the intent to impair an investigation, Bexar County Jail records show. Jail records also show Cotter faces a felony charge of possession of prohibited weapons.
- On the same date, Brad Simpson’s attorney, Stephen Gilmore, submitted a letter to Bexar County Court No. 7 on Monday, Oct. 21 in efforts to change Simpson’s bond conditions. The letter stated that Simpson wants to visit with his children while he is in custody.
Tuesday, Oct. 22:
- Records show Brad Simpson was charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair, as well as a prohibited weapon-related charge on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
- Authorities searched Brad Simpson’s home and found one bag of cement, a box of heavy-duty black trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can and a metal firewood rack, according to the affidavit on Nov. 12.
- Cotter’s updated booking page removed the prohibited weapons charge during the day on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and then placed the charge back on Cotter that evening. Cotter’s bond on the felony charges has been set at $1 million, court records show.
>> Brad Simpson’s illegal ‘machine gun’ hidden by friend inside wall at Dominion home, police say
Wednesday, Oct. 23:
- Texas Rangers interviewed Suzanne Simpson’s personal banker on Oct. 23, and the banker said Suzanne Simpson had made an outcry of domestic violence in August. She added that her husband would also commonly take her cell phone away, according to an affidavit.
- She told the banker that “if she went missing to look for her in a lake,” the affidavit states.
- One friend told authorities that Suzanne Simpson knew her husband tracked her cell phone, and she knew him to be “extremely jealous,” the affidavit states.
- After an incident in September 2023, Brad Simpson sent a text message to a friend that said: “I still feel bad about tonight. I never should’ve grabbed her phone and drove off but she was so protective of it,” the affidavit added.
Thursday, Oct. 24:
- Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales challenged a motion to change Brad Simpson’s bond conditions. Simpson is seeking to amend bond conditions to have contact with his children. The district attorney’s office declined to comment further since the case is pending.
Friday, Oct. 25:
- James Cotter’s attorney, Robert Maurer, told KSAT Cotter has been sitting in a holding cell since his arrest on Oct. 21.
- Maurer demanded changes to his client’s conditions at the Bexar County Jail and accused District Attorney Joe Gonzales and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar of trying to coerce Cotter into cooperating.
- Cotter appeared in front of pre-indictment court Judge Miguel Najera in an effort to get the bond amount reduced. A bond reduction hearing was set for Nov. 4.
Tuesday, Oct. 29:
- Brad Simpson told a family court that his wife was probably in Austin with friends on Oct. 29, and two sources confirmed this to KSAT on Nov. 12.
- Brad Simpson also said that Suzanne was probably in Austin with her sorority sisters because it was her happy place. He was then told by his attorney to stop talking and did not answer any other questions, sources confirmed to KSAT Tuesday.
Monday, Nov. 4:
- James Cotter had a bond hearing where Cotter’s attorney, Robert Maurer, argued for a reduction of Cotter’s $1 million bond, calling it unconstitutional.
- A decision was not made, and a rescheduled date was not assigned and Cotter’s mother is expected to testify regarding his financial situation.
Tuesday, Nov. 5:
- Suzanne Simpson’s 20-year-old daughter posted a series of stories on Instagram about her mother’s disappearance and spoke out against domestic violence. One of the Instagram stories alleged that her father, Brad Simpson, “took my mother’s life in a state of rage and control.”
- The daughter thinks women within the Alamo Heights community are told to keep quiet regarding domestic violence and encourages women to make their voices heard.
Thursday, Nov. 7:
- At 12:32 p.m., Judge Miguel Najera quietly made the decision to reduce the bond for James Cotter without a scheduled hearing, according to court records.
- Since Cotter’s arrest on Oct. 22, his bonds totaled $1 million. The reduction brought the total down to $100,000 — $50,000 for each charge.
- At 1:15 p.m., a convoy of DPS, Olmos Park PD, and BCSO vehicles were recorded by KSAT leaving the east side of the Bexar County Jail.
- BCSO officials confirmed that Simpson was taken out of jail for further questioning by the Texas Rangers.
- At 4:10 p.m., Brad Simpson was charged with murder in his wife’s death, according to court records.
- A judge set Simpson’s bond for the murder charge at $2 million, bringing his total bond to $5 million.
- Authorities have not found Suzanne Simpson, but sources said they believe her remains are somewhere in the Bandera area, where Brad Simpson headed the night of Oct. 6.
Friday, Nov. 8:
- At 2 p.m., Olmos Park police and the Texas Department of Public Safety told the public that Brad Simpson was charged with murder.
- Barton Simpson, Suzanne Clark Simpson’s brother-in-law, spoke to the media for the first time since her disappearance. He urged Brad to cooperate with investigators.
- As of 3:25 p.m., the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said Cotter was officially released from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
Tuesday, Nov. 12:
- KSAT obtained the affidavit of Brad Simpson’s arrest warrant for murder. This affidavit reveals details of Suzanne Simpson’s disappearance and evidence that investigators have been piecing together since Suzanne’s disappearance.
Tuesday, Nov. 19:
- A hearing for examining trial on the case of Brad Simpson is granted and scheduled for Dec. 9. This means prosecutors are forced to present sufficient evidence to indict him in his wife’s murder.
- KSAT reached out to Suzanne Simpson’s 20-year-old daughter. In an exclusive statement, she shared her favorite memories of her mother.
Tuesday, Dec. 3:
- According to Bexar County Records, Brad Simpson is officially indicted by a grand jury on the following charges:
- Murder (First-degree felony)
- Tampering with evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse (Second-degree felony)
- Tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair (Third-degree felony)
- Prohibited weapons (Third-degree felony)
- Simpson’s case is to be overseen by the 226th District Court Judge Vella J. Meza
- Barton Simpson releases a statement on social media. It reads, in part, “We urge Brad to do the right thing by fully cooperating with the authorities. For the sake of his children and the family who loves him, we ask him to accept responsibility and place himself at the mercy of the court.”
Wednesday, Dec. 4:
- Bexar County records reveal that Brad Simpson concealed a reciprocating saw knowingly while being investigated, leading to his indictment for tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair. The tool is an electric, handheld saw.
- Simpson’s attorney filed a motion to quash the indictment. This means they want the court to consider if the indictment is valid and are asking the court to void it.
Thursday, Dec. 5:
- Two sources told KSAT that according to what law enforcement officials told Suzanne Simpson’s family, her DNA was found on the reciprocating saw that Brad Simpson concealed.
Monday, Dec. 9:
- Brad Simpson was seen for the first time since his arrest in the hearing for examining trial, which was streamed live on all KSAT platforms. A bond modification hearing was scheduled for Dec. 19.
- Barton Simpson addressed the media. He said, in part, “My brother’s children are surrounded with love and caring and compassion and are doing as well as you think you could for anybody in this situation.”
- During a Child Protective Services hearing, Bexar County Children’s Court, Brad Simpson pleaded the Fifth. This means that, according to the U.S. Constitution, in legal proceedings no one “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.”
Tuesday, Dec. 10:
- According to court documents, Bexar County District Court Judge Joel Perez issued a gag order for Brad Simpson’s case. This means that witnesses in the case, all attorneys and their staff and law enforcement are not allowed to speak to the media in order to ensure a fair trial and not taint the jury pool.