Camden man guilty in 2 murders
A Camden man received two life sentences plus 30 years in connection with the murder and burning of his wife and stepdaughter in the summer of 2018.
Walter Simpson, 47, was sentenced on Monday by Circuit Court Judge Steve Ratcliff after being convicted of the double murders of his wife and stepdaughter, Falonda Simpson, 45, and 21-year-old Davonda Washington. Simpson was found guilty after a three-day jury trial. Family members of both victims testified during the sentencing hearing.
District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced on Monday that a jury found Simpson guilty of two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of First Degree Arson, and one count of Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon on Oct. 29 of last year.
“We want to again tell the victims’ families that we are so sorry that this happened to their loved ones,” Bramlett said. “We hope it brings them some closure to know that Mr. Simpson will never get out of prison as they continue to grieve their loved ones.”
Judge Ratcliff sentenced Simpson to life without parole for each of the murder convictions, 20 years for the first-degree arson conviction, and 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Walter was charged in relation to an incident reported on June 5, 2018, when the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to Crown Road located in the Camden area to a home belonging to Walter and Falonda Simpson. Washington also lived at the residence.
When they arrived on scene, they found two badly burned bodies inside the home. Each victim had suffered multiple stab wounds and were both deceased. Family members reported the incident.
Authorities were able to determine that Simpson had stabbed his step-daughter and wife to death and then attempted to set their bodies and the house on fire. Investigators said at the time that they believe the women were killed before being set on fire. The investigation was handled by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.