Husband charged with murder of missing wife presumed dead

Inset left: Brad Simpson (Kendall County Sheriff’s Office). Inset right: Suzanne Simpson (Olmos Park Police Department). Context: The house where Suzanne Simpson was last seen (Google Maps).

The husband of a Texas woman who disappeared from her affluent suburb has been charged with her alleged murder, even though her body has never been found.

Brad Chandler Simpson, 53, was charged Tuesday in the death of 51-year-old Suzanne Clark Simpson. He faces charges of murder, assault and tampering with physical evidence with intent to cause bodily harm to a human corpse, according to online court records.

The San Antonio Express-News cited the indictment, revealing some details about the alleged evidence, including a power tool potentially used in the alleged murder.

“On or about October 8, 2024, Brad Chandler Simpson, knowing that an investigation was underway, namely a missing persons investigation, concealed an item, namely a reciprocating saw, with the intent to interfere with his availability as a evidence in the investigation,” the indictment states.

Brad Simpson’s public defender opposes the indictment, seeking to have it dropped, calling it vague.

In a statement on Facebook, Suzanne Simpson’s brother, Barton Tinsley Simpson, reacted to the news of the indictment, saying the family was “deeply troubled and heartbroken by the events surrounding the indictment of Brad by the grand jury for the tragic death of his wife.

“The details exposed in this case are disturbing and painful for everyone involved,” he said. “We wish to express our deep gratitude to law enforcement for their tireless work and dedication to the pursuit of justice. Their commitment to uncovering the truth is something we hold in the highest regard. We have confidence in our criminal justice system and believe the grand jury fulfilled its sworn duty to review the evidence and determine it is sufficient to proceed to trial.

“We urge Brad to do the right thing by fully cooperating with authorities,” he added. “For the sake of his children and the family who loves him, we ask him to accept his responsibilities and put himself at the mercy of the court. We sincerely hope that through accountability, healing can begin for everyone affected by this devastating loss. We ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult time and thank the community for their understanding and support.

As Law&Crime reported in October, Suzanne Simpson, a mother of four, was last seen around 11 p.m. on October 6, according to the Olmos Police Department. Brad Simpson was arrested on October 9 and held on initial charges of one count each of assault causing bodily injury to a family member and unlawful restraint.

At a news conference at the time, Olmos Park Police Chief Fidel Villegas said Brad Simpson was not a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, but he said there had “trouble” between the couple the night Suzanne Simpson disappeared.

That disturbance occurred at a club called The Argyle, near Alamo Heights, a San Antonio neighborhood that borders the affluent enclave of Olmos Park.

Authorities were only informed of the disturbance when the husband himself mentioned the “altercation” when he reported his wife missing about 24 hours later, the police chief said. There were indications, including witness statements, that things “got physical” between the couple in San Antonio and then, later, at home.

While treating the case as a normal missing persons case, police made an appointment to follow up with Brad Simpson, Villegas said.

“He did not keep his appointment,” the police chief said at the press conference. “So he didn’t cooperate with that.”

By the time police began searching for Suzanne Simpson, her cellphone was also missing, authorities said.

What led police to make the arrest — on at least the two relatively minor charges — is explained in an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by San Antonio-based ABC affiliate KSAT.

A neighbor told police that between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday, he heard a loud argument outside his bedroom window, according to the affidavit. Then, when he looked outside, he allegedly saw the Simpsons engaged in a physical altercation.

During the fight, Suzanne Simpson was trying to get away from her husband, the neighbor said. Brad Simpson was “clearly trying to stop Ms. Simpson from running away,” according to the affidavit.

The same neighbor later told police he last saw the couple walking west, according to the affidavit. Then, he said, he heard two or three screams coming from a nearby brushy area. About an hour later, the neighbor told police he saw Brad Simpson leaving his house in a black GMC pickup truck. The neighbor said the husband returned one to two hours later, according to the affidavit.

The day after she disappeared, Brad Simpson received a call from the school one of their children attended warning him that Suzanne had not come to pick up their child, police said. The husband told investigators that his wife was responsible for picking up the children from school.

On Oct. 8, school staff told police that Simpson’s daughter said her parents were “fighting,” that her father gave her mother a bruise on the elbow and confiscated her phone, according to the affidavit.

A former business partner of Brad Simpson also faces a charge of tampering with evidence with intent to harm an investigation.

Brad Simpson is being held in the Bexar County Jail on $2 million.

Colin Kalmbacher contributed to this report.