The landlord of a woman who went missing nearly 15 years ago was charged with her murder earlier this month, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Thursday.
Holly Simmons, 46, was reported missing the day after she dropped her 17-year-old daughter off at her school bus stop near their Buchanan Dam home on Nov. 28, 2006, and vanished.
Jimmy Wolfenbarger, 57, of Lubbock, was indicted May 3 on one count of murder in the case, according to a statement from the department.
Detectives investigated Simmons’ disappearance for years, searching her home and interviewing her neighbors and coworkers, the statement said.
About three years after she disappeared, recreational divers found Simmons at the bottom of Inks Lake in Buchanan Dam. Her body was in the bottom of a boat and covered by concrete bags.
Her death was declared a murder.
The Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program reviewed the case in 2016 and assigned a ranger to investigate the death with the Llano County Sheriff’s Office.
After five years, Wolfenbarger was named a suspect.
“Wolfenbarger, Simmons’ landlord, lived near her home in an RV park at the time. He often had disputes with Simmons regarding one of her two daughters,” the state public safety department said.
Wolfenbarger turned himself in to the Lubbock County Detention Center on May 12. He was released on $2 million bail, according to the department.
Efforts to reach Wolfenbarger by phone were not successful Friday. It was not clear if he had an attorney.
Simmons’ brother, Paul Wishman, and sister, Deb Sherwood, told KXAN, NBC’s Austin affiliate, that they were “relieved” by the charge.
“What we’ve been told over the past 15 years is he was the main suspect,” Sherwood said, “but there wasn’t enough evidence.”
However, she and Wishman were disheartened that Wolfenbarger was free on bail.
“I don’t think he should have ever been able to have bond. He should be behind bars,” Wishman said. “Hopefully he doesn’t get away, and hopefully they’ve got a good case, and justice will be served for her, her kids, her grandkids and the rest of the family.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
