Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, Illinois
End of Watch: Saturday, March 8, 1975
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 9 months
Badge Number: 40
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 8, 1975
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 40 years
Deputy Sheriff William Simmons was shot and killed while checking on a stolen vehicle at the intersection of Old Illinois 36/54 and Farmington Road.
While was on the scene the subject who stole the vehicle drove up in a tow truck. The man then approached Deputy Simmons and fatally shot him while he was still seated in his patrol car.
The subject was not charged with Deputy Simmons' murder until 1992. The man had been a suspect since the murder, but because of a lack of evidence he was never charged. He had been convicted of another crime in Arkansas and confessed to murdering Deputy Simmons in 1992. He made the confession in order to be transferred to an Illinois prison because he did not like the Arkansas prison system. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for Deputy Simmons' murder.
Deputy Simmons' killer was paroled in May 2012 but was arrested in Missouri in January 2013 after stealing an ATM.
Deputy Simmons had served with the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office for nearly two years. He was survived by his wife and two children.