Husband Chooses Jail Over Marriage, Allegedly Kills 83-Year-Old Wife: Authorities Report

In a tragic incident in Florida, an 80-year-old man reportedly shot his 83-year-old wife, who was suffering from dementia. The argument that led to this unfortunate event was centered around a disagreement about going on a cruise. According to authorities, the man later expressed to the police that he would prefer being in jail over dealing with his wife’s condition.

William Elwood Simmons has been charged with first-degree murder following the death of his wife, Nancy Simmons. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at a residence on Romerly Court in Orlando at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Saturday. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Simmons had called to report, “my wife is down and I’m just sitting here.”

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found William Simmons motioning to them from the garage. When questioned about the situation, he reportedly admitted, “I do know what happened, I did it,” according to statements from the deputies.

When asked about any weapons present in the house, Simmons allegedly replied, “well, one on the floor; I put it there.”

Asked if there were any weapons in the house, he allegedly said “well, one on the floor; I put it there.”

Cops entered the home and found the victim in the kitchen dead from a gunshot wound. There was also a shotgun on the floor with a spent shell casing, deputies wrote.

The suspect was taken to a police station, where detectives interviewed him.

“He stated he was guilty and he shot his wife,” the affidavit said. “He confirmed they were in the kitchen arguing over going on a cruise. Nancy told him multiple times ‘f— you, you bastard’ which triggered Simmons.”

William Simmons then went to his bedroom, grabbed a shotgun from the closet and came back to the kitchen. His wife again said “f— you, you bastard” and he shot her one time, per cops. He later said that he had dealt with her dementia for “far too long” and that he loved “the old Nancy, and that he would rather live in prison than to deal with her.”

The suspect remains at the Orange County Jail without bond.