On the morning of May 1, 2021, Mary Marlene Simmons, 65, was found dead from gunshot wounds inside the rural cabin she shared with her husband on Madison County Road 5675, south of Huntsville, Arkansas. Deputies arrived after a 911 call from her husband, Richard Simmons Jr., who reported being shot multiple times by his son; dispatchers heard yelling and two more shots before the call disconnected.

Also killed that morning was Mary’s brother‑in‑law, 66‑year‑old Mark Lee Simmons. Richard, then 67, was located upstairs with multiple gunshot wounds and was airlifted to a Fayetteville hospital in stable condition; he told deputies his son, 44‑year‑old Samuel Oliver Simmons, had shot them and that he had managed to get the gun from Samuel and unload it before Samuel left the room.

Samuel was later stopped near Huntsville by an Arkansas State Trooper, taken into custody, and booked into the Madison County Jail. He faces two counts of capital murder and one count of attempted capital murder; the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division was handling the probe and the case has been delayed for a mental evaluation. If anyone knew Mary or has information about the shootings, please come forward.