Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly shooting his wife because he “would rather live in jail” than deal with her in her battle with dementia.
ex police William Elwood Simmons Charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 83-year-old wife, Nancy SimmonsSaturday, February 21.
At around 5:15 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Orlando, Florida, where a caller stated that his wife “fell down and I’m just sitting here.” Probable Cause Arrest Affidavit reviewer US Weekly.
When deputies arrived at the home, they saw William, 80, in the garage waving them down. “I do know what happened, I did it,” he told them after they asked what happened.
A 29-year-old man called his father to tell him about his grandmother’s death and later admitted to a police officer that he broke her neck and stomped on her head, according to court documents. Nicholas Ivey called his father after he called 911 to apply for a welfare check for his mother-in-law, Patricia Dibella, 76, (…)
William was then asked if there were any weapons in the house and he reportedly said: “Well, there’s one on the floor. I left it there.”
Officers later entered the home and found the victim in the kitchen, dead from a gunshot wound. There was also a shotgun on the floor that was empty of shells, the affidavit said.
William was taken to the police station for questioning, where he told police he was “guilty, he shot his wife.”
“He testified that they were arguing in the kitchen about taking the cruise. Nancy told him ‘fuck you, you asshole’ multiple times, which triggered Simmons’ emotions,” the affidavit states.
William said he then went into his bedroom and took out a shotgun from the closet. His wife then said “fuck you, you bastard” before he shot her.
He told police he had treated her for dementia “for too long” and that he loved “old Nancy.” He added, “He would rather live in jail than deal with her.”
He is currently being held in the Orange County Jail after being denied bail. It’s unclear whether William has entered a plea or retained legal representation.
There was no immediate response from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. US WeeklyRequest for comment.
Little is known about William and Nancy’s relationship, including how long they were together or whether they had any children. Additionally, it is unclear when she was diagnosed with dementia.
according to Alzheimer’s AssociationDementia is “a general term for a loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking skills that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.”
UPDATED — 12/18/25 12:05 PM ET: Brian Walshe was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday, 18/18 for the murder of his wife, Ana Walshe UPDATED— 12/15/25, 12:10 pm ET: Walshe was convicted of murdering his wife, Ana, on Monday, 15 December. A jury of six(…)
If William is convicted of first-degree murder, he could face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, the evidence and circumstances of the crime will ultimately determine his sentence.
Florida has vigorously accelerated the use of the death penalty in recent years, executing 19 people in 2025, a record high. The death penalty is carried out by lethal injection. florida statue. However, people sentenced to death can also choose to be electrocuted.
