SAN ANTONIO – Brad Simpson, the man charged in the murder of his wife Suzanne Clark Simpson, was seen driving with three large trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can and a “large bulky item” wrapped in a blue tarp the day after her disappearance, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The affidavit was obtained on Tuesday afternoon after a judge unsealed the document just before 4 p.m. Brad Simpson was charged with murder Thursday, even though Suzanne Simpson has yet to be found.
Minutes after a judge unsealed the warrant, two of Simpson’s family violence charges were dropped. Court records show the cases were closed after the court rejected them for an extraneous offense.
The court document, first obtained by KSAT, is the first look at evidence investigators have been piecing together in the month since her disappearance. The affidavit revealed additional details on Brad Simpson’s whereabouts in the hours and days after her disappearance and the efforts he took to disguise his movements.
KSAT has redacted all identifying information from the affidavit, which is a public document.
Tarp, trash bags seen in Brad Simpson’s truck at Whataburger, Home Depot, gas station in Boerne
Suzanne Simpson was last seen on Oct. 6, after the couple attended a party at The Argyle, a private dinner club on Patterson Avenue in Alamo Heights. Olmos Park Police Chief Fidel Villegas previously said the couple fought at that event.
Later that night, a neighbor told police that they heard the Simpsons arguing outside their home. The neighbor said Suzanne 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,” police previously said. The neighbor also reported hearing screams from a brushy area.
Investigators told the media Friday they believe Suzanne Simpson is dead and that her remains could be in the Bandera area. Police searched that area, where Brad Simpson’s family has property.
The arrest warrant affidavit states that around 7:53 a.m. on Oct. 7, hours after the neighbor saw the couple fighting at their home, Brad Simpson 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, the affidavit states.
At around 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 7, 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.
A metal firewood rack was placed on top of the blue tarp “in a manner to conceal and weigh the tarp down,” the affidavit states.
Geolocation data showed Brad Simpson at a Home Depot in Boerne at around 9:53 a.m., where video surveillance and a receipt 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.
While in the parking lot of the Home Depot, he asked a man about the directions to the nearest dump in Boerne. 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.
Over the next hour or so, 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.
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 at 11:15 a.m. 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.
At 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, and the firewood rack had been repositioned.
When Brad Simpson arrived at the school to pick up his young child in Alamo Heights at around 3:30 p.m., 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.
At 4:10 p.m., he 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.
Later that night, around 10 p.m. Suzanne was first reported missing by a friend. Then, minutes later, Simpson called Olmos Park police and left a voicemail claiming he hadn’t seen his wife all day.
The Texas Ranger searched his vehicle on Oct. 10. The affidavit states that stains from his vehicle tested positive for blood, which was later determined to belong to Brad Simpson.
During a search at the Simpson residence on Oct. 23, authorities located one bag of cement, a box of heavy-duty black trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can and a metal firewood rack.
The affidavit states that authorities believe that Suzanne Simpson’s death occurred on or around Oct. 6.
WATCH BELOW: Former head of FBI San Antonio discusses challenges investigating Suzanne Simpson case
Simpson ‘showed little emotion’ about wife’s disappearance, affidavit says
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.
Her friend ended up calling the police at around 9:57 p.m. on Oct. 6; Brad Simpson then called the police at around 10:11 p.m. and left a voicemail.
According to the affidavit, Brad Simpson claimed that his wife lost her cell phone while at a local H-E-B. Surveillance footage showed her at H-E-B with her young daughter on the night of Oct. 6. Suzanne Simpson went to the store minutes after leaving The Argyle.
After leaving H-E-B, at 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 6, Suzanne Simpson called a family friend and went to their house. At 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.
A warrant for his arrest was issued on Oct. 8, and he was arrested the following day on charges of 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.
WATCH BELOW: KSAT breaks down Brad Simpson’s murder charge in connection with his wife’s death
Laptop, cell phones found in burn pit in Bandera County; notes on Simpson’s phone about assaults
On Oct. 9, the 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.
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.
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.
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 states.
Brad Simpson to friend: ’I don’t have much time’
James Cotter, the longtime business partner of Brad Simpson was named in the affidavit. Cotter was arrested on Oct. 22 and charged with tampering with evidence with the intent to impair an investigation and possession of prohibited weapons, Bexar County Jail records show.
The affidavit states that on Oct. 8, the day before Brad Simpson’s arrest, Brad Simpson texted Cotter: “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.”
Cotter, 65, made bond for his two felony charges related to Suzanne Simpson’s disappearance on Friday, a day after the bond amounts were significantly reduced from $1 million total to $100,000 — $50,000 for each charge.
Under the bond conditions, Cotter cannot have contact with Brad Simpson or have possession of a firearm. He was also fitted with a GPS monitor.
Cotter is accused of entering Brad Simpson’s gun room on Oct. 8, at his urging, and removing an AK-47 that was illegally modified and hiding it in his own home, police said. The firearm, which the feds said was modified into a “machine gun,” was not properly registered.
Brad Simpson tells court that wife is with friends in Austin
KSAT previously reported that on Oct. 29, Brad Simpson told a family court that his wife was probably in Austin with friends because it was her happy place.
He made the comments while appearing via Zoom from jail for a Child Protective Services hearing in Bexar County Children’s Court, two sources confirmed to KSAT Tuesday. That was a week before Simpson was charged with murder.
The comments are Simpson’s first to be made public since he was taken into custody on family violence charges on Oct. 9.
Brad Simpson was then told by his attorney to stop talking and did not answer any other questions, sources confirmed to KSAT Tuesday.
The custody proceedings are sealed, which is standard for family court hearings involving minors. The judge was considering whether any changes should be made to the custody of the Simpson’s two youngest children.
A hearing in misdemeanor court scheduled for Simpson on Wednesday has been rescheduled for next month.
Brad Simpson remains behind bars on bonds totaling $5 million and a federal detainer.
Domestic violence resources
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, there is a long list of resources on KSAT’s Domestic Violence page which includes a breakdown of what abuse is, and how it builds gradually.
If you are in crisis, you can:
- call or text 911
- call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233
- call the local Family Violence Prevention Services, which runs the shelter (Crisis Number: 210-733-8810, Programs and Administration: 210-930-3669)
- call the Bexar County Family Justice Center at 210-631-0100.
