Murder for hire?

$1 million bond set for Rebecca Lynn Simpson

By Brian Knox
Published November 4, 2004

A Bridgeport woman was arrested after law enforcement officers said she tried to hire someone to kill another Bridgeport resident.

Rebecca Lynn Simpson, 42, was arrested for solicitation of capital murder Monday afternoon in Bridgeport following a traffic stop on Krista Drive.

Bridgeport Police Chief Randy Singleton said the intended victim in the case was Shemane Watts, also of Bridgeport.
An arrest warrant was issued by Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Jan Morrow Monday. Morrow set Simpson’s bail at $1 million during her arraignment Monday following her arrest. As of Tuesday afternoon, Simpson remained in jail.

Solicitation of capital murder is a first degree felony.

According to the report by Texas Ranger Dewayne Dockery obtained by the Wise County Messenger through an open records request to Morrow’s office, Simpson approached Kevin Cash at a Bridgeport gas station saying she was having a problem with a male subject and his wife stalking and threatening her and she needed a “permanent solution to the problem rather than a temporary fix.”

The report went on to say that Cash met with Simpson the following day in a parking lot of Costco in Southlake where she identified the intended victims as a man and wife.

“Cash stated Simpson informed him she (Simpson) would pay him $1,500 to have the victims permanently taken care of,” the report said. “Cash stated Simpson informed him that she (Simpson) wanted the final job to look like a drug deal that went wrong.”

On Oct. 25, the report continued, Dockery recorded a telephone conversation Cash made to Simpson from Dockery’s office in Decatur. Cash said he knew someone who could provide the service she was requesting. Simpson said she was ready to “bump it up to the next level,” according to the report.

On Oct. 26, Simpson met Cash and Texas Department of Public Safety Officer Steve Reynolds in Southlake.

“Simpson identified the victims and stated she wanted the female victim to go away,” the report said. “Simpson stated she wanted the male victim assaulted ... Simpson stated she wanted it to appear as though the female victim had cut her wrists. Simpson agreed to pay $2,000 to murder the female victim and $1,000 to assault the male victim.”

The report went on to say that Simpson had planned on being in the hospital for two days beginning Nov. 9 and “she wanted the murder and assault to occur during that time.”

On Oct. 28, the report said Simpson paid Reynolds $2,000 and agreed to pay him the additional $1,000 after Reynolds completed the murder and assault.

Dockery, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bridgeport Police Department, are continuing their investigation in the case.

Bridgeport Lt. Steve Stanford said it is “possible” that more arrests could be made in connection with the case.

Officers began looking into the case about two weeks ago, Stanford said, following an incident between Simpson and Watts at The Gym, located at 1111 Halsell St. in Bridgeport

According to Bridgeport Officer Robert Luna’s report obtained by the Wise County Messenger through an open record’s request, Watts said she was assaulted by Simpson on the afternoon of Oct. 13. The report said Watts said Simpson walked into the business yelling, cussing and waving her mobile phone at Watts.

The report went on to say that Simpson walked outside, and when Watts tried to close the door, Simpson began to push back on the door to keep it open. Simpson was able to push the door back open and she struck Watts on the left side of her head and face, according to the report.

When Watts tried to call the police, the report said, Simpson grabbed the phone and threw it into Halsell St. Luna’s report said a 13-year-old girl witnessed the incident and said she saw Simpson walk into the gym, strike Watts in the face and head and throw a phone into the middle of Halsell St.

An arrest was not made following that incident.