OLMOS PARK, Texas — The brother of Brad Simpson, Barton Simpson, issued a statement Wednesday showing support for law enforcement efforts to recover Suzanne Simpson, who has been missing for ten days.
Suzanne's husband, Brad Simpson, was charged with assaulting her before she went missing. His bond hearing was initially scheduled early this week, but it has since been postponed to a later date. He also faces a separate federal charge, accused of illegally possessing a short-barreled rifle. Authorities have not directly connected him to the disappearance of his wife, but they say he is not cooperating.
On Wednesday, Brad's brother issued a statement saying that until Brad chooses to cooperate, he and the rest of the family will "continue to cooperate for him, as we have from the very beginning." He also said his sister and brother-in-law are taking care of Suzanne and Brad's children.
Suzanne Simpson was last seen Oct. 6, when a neighbor reported hearing her and her husband arguing, as well as a screaming in their Olmos Park neighborhood. Wednesday marked the third day of search teams scouring a landfill in east Bexar county, where Olmos Park police said earlier this week they were "confident there is a good chance of recovering Suzanne."
Olmos Park Police Chief Fidel Villegas said the Simpson family has provided valuable help in the investigation, which led them to narrow their search to the landfill.
See the full statement from Barton Simpson on Wednesday below:
"Until Brad chooses to cooperate, we will continue to cooperate for him, as we have from the very beginning of this heartbreaking ordeal. This is not how he was raised, and this is not who we are. Our parents instilled in us the values of honoring and protecting others, and they are truly remarkable people.
"The devastation this has caused to our family is overwhelming. Brad's refusal to cooperate is unacceptable. My sister and brother-in-law have stepped up to take care of the children, but the impact on our parents has been shattering. Our lives have been irreparably changed. We will not rest until we find Suzanne."
Meanwhile, officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is assisting in search efforts, said "not searching the landfill was not an option" at this point in their investigation. They added no potential evidence was found Wednesday and law enforcement are expected to return "throughout the week."