Ronald Gene Simmons
Also known as: Gene Simmons
- Active
- 1987–1987
- Region
- Dover and Russellville, Arkansas, USA
- State
- AR
- Kind
- Spree
- Status
- Executed
- Victims
- 16
Between December 22 and 26, 1987, Ronald Gene Simmons killed 14 members of his family at their isolated home near Dover in Pope County, Arkansas: his wife, his children, their spouses and his grandchildren. On December 28 he drove into nearby Russellville and shot people at four businesses, killing two and wounding four, then surrendered to police at a trucking company where he had worked. He was convicted in two trials, sentenced to death, waived his appeals, and was executed by lethal injection on June 25, 1990. It remains the worst mass murder in Arkansas history.
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Victims
We remember the people whose lives were taken.
- Bersabe Rebecca "Becky" Simmons, 46 · December 22, 1987
His wife.
- Ronald Gene Simmons Jr., 29 · December 22, 1987
His eldest son. Sources differ on his age (26 or 29).
- Loretta Simmons, 17 · December 22, 1987
His daughter, a high school student.
- Eddy Simmons, 14 · December 22, 1987
His son.
- Marianne Simmons, 11 · December 22, 1987
His daughter.
- Rebecca "Becky" Simmons, 8 · December 22, 1987
His youngest daughter.
- Barbara Sue Simmons, 3 · December 22, 1987
His granddaughter.
- William H. "Billy" Simmons II, 23 · December 26, 1987
His son, who came to the house for Christmas. Sources differ on his age (22 or 23).
- Renata Lynne May Simmons, 21 · December 26, 1987
William's wife.
- William H. "Trae" Simmons III, 1 · December 26, 1987
William and Renata's son.
- Sheila Simmons McNulty, 24 · December 26, 1987
His daughter, who came to the house for Christmas.
- Dennis McNulty, 33 · December 26, 1987
Sheila's husband.
- Sylvia Gail McNulty, 7 · December 26, 1987
Sheila and Dennis's daughter. Sources differ on her age (6 or 7).
- Michael McNulty, 1 · December 26, 1987
Sheila and Dennis's son.
- Kathleen "Kathy" Kendrick, 24 · December 28, 1987
A receptionist at a Russellville law firm who had worked with Simmons.
- James David "Jim" Chaffin, 33 · December 28, 1987
A delivery driver and volunteer firefighter, a stranger to Simmons.
Timeline of locations
- December 22, 1987Simmons family home, near Dover (Crime scene, approximate area)
The family lived on an isolated 13-acre tract outside Dover, Pope County, from 1983. Simmons killed seven family members here on December 22 and seven more who arrived for Christmas on December 26.
- December 28, 1987Peel, Eddy and Gibbons law firm, Russellville (Crime scene, approximate area)
Simmons shot and killed Kathy Kendrick at the law office where she worked.
- December 28, 1987Taylor Oil Company, Russellville (Crime scene, approximate area)
At the oil company on West Main Street, Simmons killed Jim Chaffin and wounded the owner, who survived.
- December 28, 1987Sinclair Mini Mart, Russellville (Crime scene, approximate area)
At the convenience store on East Main Street where he had once worked, Simmons shot and wounded two employees, who survived.
- December 28, 1987Woodline Motor Freight, Russellville (Arrest, approximate area)
At the trucking company where he had worked as a clerk, Simmons shot and wounded a supervisor and briefly held an employee hostage, then surrendered to Russellville Police Chief Herb Johnston.
- May 9, 1988Franklin County Courthouse, Ozark (Court / trial)
Tried here on a change of venue for the Russellville shootings, Simmons was convicted on May 12, 1988, of the capital murders of Kathy Kendrick and Jim Chaffin and sentenced to death plus 147 years.
- February 6, 1989Johnson County Courthouse, Clarksville (Court / trial)
On a second change of venue, Simmons was convicted on February 10, 1989, of capital murder for the 14 family deaths and later sentenced to death.
- June 25, 1990Cummins Unit (execution) (Prison)
Simmons was executed by lethal injection in the state execution chamber at the Cummins Unit, Lincoln County, on June 25, 1990, after waiving his appeals.
Watch, listen, read
Listen
- The Devil of Pope County: America's Worst Family Massacre (2023, Tony Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
Read
- Zero at the Bone (1991, Bryce Marshall and Paul Williams (Pocket Books))
Sources
- Ronald Gene Simmons (Wikipedia)
- Ronald Gene Simmons (1940-1990) (Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
- This Day in Arkansas History: May 12, 1988 (Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
- This Day in Arkansas History: February 10, 1989 (Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
Each location also lists its own sources in the data file.