VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach Police Department has arrested two people for the murder of Brian Simpson, who was killed last Thursday. The men arrested are Henry Jones Jr., 23, and Darius Robinson, 16.
“We’re happy to announce the arrests of two suspects,” Interim Police Chief David Currey said Tuesday night.
Both suspects face first degree murder charges. Jones faces additional charges of armed burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault and battery and armed burglary with a deadly weapon.
Robinson faces a charge of burglary of an occupied dwelling.
“This was a cowardly and senseless act,” he said.
Simpson, who leaves behind a wife and two children, “will be deeply missed by this community,” Chief Currey said.
The suspects were picked up Monday afternoon after a pair of concerned citizens and a US Postal Worker phoned in a sighting of two black males acting suspiciously blocks from the Simpson home.
Chief Currey said the pair was walking in and around different properties and could not give officers a reason for their actions.
He said it was possible the pair returned the neighborhood Monday in search of an item or items dropped as they fled the Simpson home.
During the course of the interviews with the then-persons of interest, the Vero Beach Police Department found evidence tying the suspects to the murder.
Chief Currey said investigators found jewelry taken from the Simpson home in a location the juvenile had identified.
“It wasn’t of great value,” he said of the jewelry taken from the Simpson home, explaining that it was mostly costume jewelry.
According to investigators, Jones was the lone shooter in the burglary-turned-homicide. Chief Currey said there may have been a struggle between Simpson and the burglars in the master bedroom that escalated to shots fired through the door of the master bathroom.
Simpson was struck twice, in the upper right arm and in the collar bone, with a small caliber handgun. The gun has not yet been recovered.
Chief Currey said the burglars had been in the home for some time prior to Simpson walking in on them.
“They took their time” looking around the home, he said.
Chief Currey said that homes near the Simpsons had vehicles in their driveways, while the Simpson home did not, which might be the reason their home had been targeted.
The chief did not say how the suspects gained entry into the home.
