A Texas mother of four mysteriously vanished after a fight with her husband on Sunday night, leading investigators to arrest him, according to police.
Suzanne Clark Simpson, 51, has not been seen since she returned to her Olmos Park home from a night out at the Argyle Country Club in nearby Alamo Heights, the New York Post reported.
The last known surveillance photo of her shows her leaving the Argyle, wearing a black dress and high-heeled shoes:
Texas DPS and the Olmos Park Police Department released this photo of Suzanne Clark Simpson, missing since Monday. She…
Posted by Jaie Avila on Thursday, October 10, 2024
The real estate agent shares two children with her husband, 53-year-old real estate investor Brad Simpson, and has two other children from a previous relationship, officials said.
While Brad reported his wife missing on Monday, a neighbor told police of an alarming physical altercation he witnessed outside of their house once she got home from the private club the night before.
According to the Olmos Park Police Department, the unidentified neighbor said he heard arguing from outside his window sometime between 10:00-11:00 p.m. before seeing the couple fighting as Brad was “clearly attempting to keep Ms. Simpson from running away.”
After he saw the pair walk away, the neighbor went outside with a flashlight before hearing “two to three screams” come from the nearby woods.
The neighbor told police he then ran back inside and saw Brad about an hour later leaving in his 2019 black GMC Sierra pickup truck before returning two to three hours later.
Staff members at the school where one of Suzanne’s children attends told police on Tuesday that the child reported their parents were “fighting,” that her dad assaulted her mom, and that he took her phone.
The child also claimed that Suzanne had sustained a bruise to her elbow.
Brad, who has been married to Suzanne for 22 years, was arrested Wednesday on assault and unlawful restraint charges — but not before he allegedly “fled” to his ranch in Bandera County, the Post reported of a police affidavit.
He is being held in the Bexar County Jail with bail set at $2 million and has been uncooperative with law enforcement, police Chief Fidel Villegas said.
“We’re trying every avenue,” Villegas said during a press conference. “But in the case that somebody has seen her — and she is in distress. That night, we think she was in distress. She may be somewhere, and we just don’t know about it.
“It’s very suspicious, though, that, obviously, she’s not going to work, and she’s not checking in on her children. So that’s an obvious problem,” he continued.
“But, at the same time, we don’t want to miss an opportunity to say, ‘Hey, this is what she looks like. Maybe somebody out there knows where she is or she’s hiding away or something.’ That’s why we’re showing you the clothing,” the chief noted.
“These four kids miss their mom, so we’re doing everything we can.”
Suzanne’s phone has still not been located, and police are asking the public for tips on where Brad might have been seen driving for those couple hours he left the family home on Sunday night.
Villegas added that two pieces of evidence were found in a wooded area by a search party, but did not specify what those were.
Brad’s brother, Barton Tinsley Simpson, also urged the public to aid in the search for his sister-in-law:
Our family is devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Suzanne. We are doing everything we can to fully cooperate…
Posted by Barton Tinsley Simpson on Thursday, October 10, 2024
“Our family is devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Suzanne. We are doing everything we can to fully cooperate with law enforcement, and our first priority is to find her and bring her home,” Barton wrote on Facebook. “Our second priority is to surround her children with love and ensure they are protected during this incredibly difficult time. We are desperately seeking answers and pleading for anyone with information to come forward.”
“We greatly appreciate the public outcry and support, and we are aligned in wanting answers and resolution,” he continued. “We ask the public to respect our privacy, but we also deeply appreciate the outpouring of support. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Olmos Park Police Department. Your help could make all the difference.”
Brad’s mother also spoke out, telling KSAT that she is in “total disbelief” about the situation.
“I’m in total disbelief,” Suzanne’s mother-in-law, who was not named by the publication, said.
“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,” she added.
