An 80-year-old Florida man is in custody after allegedly shooting his wife during a domestic dispute, later telling investigators he preferred life behind bars over continuing to care for her. William Simmons was arrested and charged with first-degree murder following the death of his 83-year-old wife, Nancy, at their home on February 21.
The incident began with a phone call to local dispatchers. According to the police affidavit, Simmons told operators that his wife was “down” and “not able to talk to anybody anymore,” noting that he was simply sitting in the house waiting for authorities to arrive.
When deputies reached the residence, they discovered Nancy unresponsive on the kitchen floor with a single gunshot wound to her upper body. A shotgun and an empty shell casing were located nearby. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene.
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During questioning, Simmons reportedly detailed the events leading up to the shooting. He told investigators that the couple had been arguing about a potential cruise.
According to the report, Simmons claimed his wife used profanity toward him multiple times, which he described as a trigger for his actions.
He admitted to retrieving a shotgun from a bedroom closet and warning her that he had “had enough” and was capable of pulling the trigger. When she allegedly swore at him again, he fired the weapon.
Simmons provided context for the couple’s strained relationship, saying that Nancy suffered from dementia.
He told officers he had been dealing with her declining health for “too long” and expressed that while he “loved the old Nancy,” the current situation had become unbearable. He reportedly stated that he would rather live in prison than continue to deal with her.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Simmons was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
He also clarified to detectives that his wife had not attempted to physically harm him and that the shooting was not an act of self-defense. Simmons remains in custody as the legal process moves forward.
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