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Deadly Dads: Ronald Gene Simmons

Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

Release Date: 06/17/2024

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In this first episode of season 9 I’ll share the harrowing story of family annihilator, Ronald Gene Simmons. Known for his obsessive need for control and order, Simmons carried out a meticulously planned series of murders in December 1987, ultimately killing 14 of his family members and two others. This episode captures the disturbing details of his life, his manipulative and abusive behavior, and his final act of violent retaliation that led to his arrest, trial, and eventual execution in 1990. 

 

00:00 Introduction to Family Annihilators
00:39 Case Overview: Ronald Gene Simmons
01:33 Early Life of Ronald Gene Simmons
07:16 Family Life and Military Career
22:09 Abuse and Control
38:32 Escalation and Mass Murder
44:05 Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
47:08 Conclusion

Sources: 

“Zero at the Bone,” authors Bryce Marshall and Paul Williams, Pocket Star Books, New York, NY, 1991. https://archive.org/details/zeroatbone00mars/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater 

https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s1/simmons-ronald-gene.htm

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/ronald-gene-simmons-3731/ 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362847782_Defending_Ronald_Gene_Simmons_A_Question_and_Answer_Session_with_Attorney_John_Harris

 

 

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