Simmons was 17 yrs old when he committed murder. In chilling, callous terms he talked about his plan, discussing it for the most part with two friends, Charles Benjamin and John Tessmer, then aged 15 and 16. Simmons proposed to commit burglary and murder by breaking and entering, tying up a victim, and throwing the victim off a bridge. Simmons assured his friends they could “get away with it” because they were minors.

The three met at about 2 a.m. on the night of the murder, but Tessmer left before the other two set out.  Simmons and Benjamin entered the home of the victim, Shirley Crook, where he recognized her from a previous car accident involving them both. Simmons later admitted this confirmed his resolve to murder her.

Using duct tape to cover her eyes and mouth and bind her hands, the two put Mrs. Crook in her minivan and drove to a state park. They reinforced the bindings, covered her head with a towel, and walked her to a railroad trestle spanning the Meramec River. There they tied her hands and feet together with electrical wire, wrapped her whole face in duct tape and threw her from the bridge, drowning her in the waters below.

Simmons original death sentence as overturned on appeal citing that sentencing a juvenile to death was considered “cruel and unusual punishment” and therefore, violates Simmons Eighth Amendments protection. On March 1, 2005 the Supreme Court voted in favor of Simmons with a 5-4 decision, citing that juvenile offenders under the age of 18 could not be sentenced to death. Simmons sentence was commuted to life without parole.

One page (front and back) typed letter pen signed Chris. Letter is general content. Original matching handwritten envelope is included.