Hundreds mourn murder victim Brian Simpson in Vero Beach's 'celebration of life'

It may be one of the first major developments in a murder case that has left a Treasure Coast community heartbroken. Brian Simspon, 41, was shot and killed in his Vero Beach home on Thursday night. Investigators said he came face to face with an armed intruder.

On Monday, police released sketches of two persons of interest who were seen in the area of Simpson's home not long after neighbors heard gunfire. Police also announced that a $ 50,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that leads to an arrest. That cash reward was raised by Indian River County business leaders and concerned citizens.

Hundreds of loved ones gathered at The Community Church on Monday evening to pay their respects to Simpson who was a husband and father. The overflow crowd offered stories about Simpson before his life was suddenly taken away.

"Just a great all-around guy, a great dad and someone I respected," said Charles Croom, a friend and co-worker of Simpson. "I just hope and pray that they have strong faith and this time, that's what's going to get them through."

Simpson was a 14 year employee of Central Window, a company located a few miles from the Fiddlewood Road home where he was found dead.

Simpson leaves behind two children, Samantha and Scott, and a wife, Kristen.

"They are such a wonderful family, such a close family, very good and just didn't deserve what happened to them," said Gabrielle Jordan, a family friend. "It's just so hard to put it into words, to be honest. Why did something like this have to happen to such wonderful people?"

There was no casket at Monday's celebration of life. A family spokesperson said Simpson will be cremated and his ashes will be scattered in the ocean along Vero Beach in the next few days.

Among those mourning Monday evening was Interim Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey, who spoke early Monday at a news conference at police headquarters.

"We're just persistent, and we're going to keep working and following up every lead to bring justice to the Simpson family," said Currey.

The sketches released by law enforcement are of two males, both black and in their early to mid 20's. Authorities said both were seen in the area of Simpson's home after the suspected burglary turned into an apparent homicide.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Vero Beach Police Department Detective Division at (772) 978-4660.

Read More @ Source

Criminal Stories Here

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Charges dismissed in grisly Ypsilanti Township triple homicide

Image
For nearly six years, they were locked up facing a possible death sentence for a grisly 2001 triple homicide in Ypsilanti Township. On Friday, a federal judge dismissed the charges against Deondre Byrd and three other men after a federal prosecutor said new evidence came to light last Friday that prevented the government from taking the case to trial. It was the second time in three years that Byrd escaped murder charges. He has been imprisoned in recent years for both the triple homicide and the slaying of a 16-year-old girl in Ann Arbor, but he has been convicted on only a federal gun charge. "Obviously, I'm pretty upset that almost 11 years later, we still don't have any answers," said Christy Brown, 30, a close family friend of the victims of the triple homicide. She said she got a call from federal prosecutors Thursday saying the case was being dropped, but they wouldn't elaborate. "I was very surprised. I honestly thought they were making some...
Keep reading

Flint's battlefield: A three-year murder map

Image
FLINT, MI -- There have been 189 murders in the city since 2010. Below is a map of the locations of each murder in the last three years, as well as the names of the slain on Flint's battlefield. The spike in murders occurred almost immediately after large-scale layoffs in March of 2010. By year's end the city had set a record with 66 murders, breaking the previous mark of 61 set in 1986. Killing continued in 2011 with 57 murders. A look at the map shows the majority of the murders took place on the north and east sides, historically the most economically depressed areas of the city. Just 25 murders in the last three years occurred south of Court Street. The map is color-coded by year. Green markers denote 2012 murders while red markers are from 2011 and blue from 2010. 2012 No. 1: Jan. 11: Kevin Berger, 55, died Jan. 11 after a Jan. 10 double shooting at his home on Keller Avenue near Welch Boulevard around 10:15 pm. Darius McGee, 25, was also critically shot. He survi...
Keep reading

Manslaughter charges dropped against Keys man accused of letting girl drive drunk before she crashed and died

Image
A manslaughter charge against a Marathon man accused of helping cause the death of a teenager by letting her drive drunk has been dropped due to what prosecutors say is lack of evidence. Michael Mearns, 26, the son of former Marathon Mayor Randy Mearns and grandson of former Marathon Councilwoman Margie Mearns, had been charged with manslaughter by culpable negligence following a Feb. 25, 2011, crash in which 17-year-old Amber Kogelis of Lower Matecumbe Key died. "You have to prove he knew she was drinking," State Attorney Catherine Vogel said Wednesday. "It's clear we do not have evidence of the impairment." That's even though an autopsy revealed Kogelis had a blood alcohol content of .125. In Florida, .08 is considered legally drunk. "It didn't rise to the level beyond a reasonable doubt," said Assistant State Attorney Paunece Ramage. "She wasn't stumbling, she wasn't holding herself up" in a video prosecutors re...
Keep reading