A Texas mom of four children has been missing for nearly three weeks after she was seen fighting with her husband. Investigators said he asked his business partner to hide his rifle a day after he reported his wife missing.
Authorities in San Antonio have been looking for Suzanne Clark Simpson, 51, after she allegedly went missing on Oct. 7 by her husband, Brad Simpson, 53.
A neighbor who spoke with police said they last saw Suzanne near their home on Oct. 6. According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by KSAT-TV, the couple had just returned from a party near their home when they got into an argument, which included Brad trying to keep Suzanne from running away.
The neighbor noted that he later heard two or three screams from the brush east of his home. An hour later, Brad was seen leaving his house in his black pickup truck and coming back home after an hour or two, the affidavit said.
When Was Suzanne Reported Missing?
Brad reported Suzanne missing nearly 24 hours after the altercation. He told police their daughter's school called him after Suzanne failed to fetch their child. However, investigators noted that Brad received that call around 3 p.m. He reported Suzanne missing around 10 p.m. on Oct. 7.
Did Brad Conspire With His Business Partner?
Investigators said they found text messages between Brad and his business partner James V. Cotter on Oct. 8, where he asked the latter for help hiding an AK-47 rifle, as reported by KENS-TV.
"If you're in Bandera, can you haul a** to meet me at your house? I don't have much time," Brad wrote in a text message to Cotter.
Investigators retrieved the weapon in a hollowed-out area in a wall behind Cotter's bedroom television. Records cited by investigators said the rifle came from China. It was not registered to Brad.
What Is the Progress on Suzanne's Case?
Neither Brad nor Cotter have been identified as a suspect or person of interest in Suzanne's disappearance. However, Brad has been charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member and unlawful restraint based on the neighbor's eyewitness account. He was later charged with prohibited weapon possession and tampering with evidence following the discovery of the rifle.
Brad is currently being held on a total bond of $3 million and is due to appear in court on Nov. 23.
On the other hand, Cotter was charged with prohibited weapon possession, per USA Today.
Investigators are still searching for Suzanne and have conducted sweeps of numerous locations, including their home and a large landfill, to no avail. They have since opened a tip line at 210-822-2000 for any information.
