# Arkansas murder spree - 1987 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 14, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230 "2019-09-14T19:05:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/1 "2019-09-14T19:05:21Z")
I came across the rather brutal story of R Gene Simmons who murdered his entire family and several others in 1987. I don’t recall it from the news at that time. Beckdawreck, was this anywhere near you or have much effect on your community? Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/2 "2019-09-14T20:19:23Z")
I don’t recall it. I was pretty young. Do you have a link? Where did it happen? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/3 "2019-09-14T20:24:32Z")
When Mr.Wrekker comes in I’ll ask him. He’s a good bit older than me. I think he worked in Pinebluff for a time. So he probably heard about it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/4 "2019-09-14T21:48:23Z")
He killed 16 people (14 were family) in a weeks time and, get this, he used a rope, Gah! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/5 "2019-09-15T01:00:49Z")
Sorry, forgot the link: [Ronald Gene Simmons - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Gene_Simmons) Strangled and drowned in the rain barrel. Over the Christmas holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/6 "2019-09-15T01:17:13Z")
‘Spree’ makes it sound so fun! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/7 "2019-09-15T01:28:51Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘Spree’ makes it sound so fun! 🙂 Yeah, any time I see the term “killing spree” or “murder spree,” I invariably picture the killer laughing like the Joker as he kills. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/8 "2019-09-15T13:11:25Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I came across the rather brutal story of R Gene Simmons who murdered his entire family and several others in 1987. That’s amazing. I swear I saw KISS in concert in 1988! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/9 "2019-09-15T13:38:39Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > That’s amazing. I swear I saw KISS in concert in 1988! Impossible to believe, but apparently KISS’s Gene Simmons is \*not \*the worse possible Gene Simmons. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/10 "2019-09-15T14:23:30Z")
People are way too trusting, “ok line up one at a time, for your presents, one at a time I said!” “Gee the last five people who went to get their present disappeared, oh Dad is calling me, it must be my turn!” ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/11 "2019-09-15T15:17:04Z")
This one gives me fits. Two mass killings by the same killer within days of each other. I have never heard the like of it. But I wish to add one other case: 30 December 1987 Algona IA, 7 killed (shot) ([Robert Dreesman | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers](http://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dreesman-robert.htm)) A \*\*third \*\* mass killing of seven in that same bloody month. But wait there is more. Here is the entire month of December 1987: 7 December 1987 Over San Luis Obispo CA, 43 Killed (multiple) ([David Burke | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers](http://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/burke-david.htm)) 13 December 1987 Oklahoma City OK, 6 killed (shot) ([http://newsok.com/article/2208864](http://newsok.com/article/2208864)) 22 December 1987 Russellville AR 7 killed (multiple) ([Ronald Gene Simmons - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Gene_Simmons)) 26 December 1987 Dover AR 7 killed (multiple) ([Ronald Gene Simmons - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Gene_Simmons)) 30 December 1987 Algona IA, 7 killed (shot) ([Robert Dreesman | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers](http://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dreesman-robert.htm)) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/12 "2019-09-15T15:21:08Z")
(Delete Duplicate) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/13 "2019-09-15T15:51:45Z")
Mr.Wrekker reports that it was a very big deal. He didn’t remember many details. He was surprised most of his victims were Simmons family members. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/14 "2019-09-15T18:27:00Z")
I do remember Ron Simmons refused to appeal his conviction. He was executed in 1990. Normally a death sentence takes quite a few years to wind its way through the appeals process. His military service was eerily similar to my dad. My dad was a retired Air Force Master Sergeant who also began his career in the Navy. My dad joined a decade before Simmons and is also a Viet Nam vet. I made the mistake of asking my dad if their careers crossed. One of the times I clearly hurt him with my big mouth. I will always regret being a smart ass that day. It bothered my dad that a Vet with a Bronze Star could be so twisted and evil. Clearly the Air Force never recognized the true personality of this psycho. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arkansas-murder-spree-1987/840230/15 "2019-09-16T13:39:05Z")
I recall the name, but did not remember the details.