Donnell Simpson Arrested on Attempted Murder Charges for the Stabbings of Two Women

3/12/2013

March 12, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alert police work by Hermitage Precinct overnight shift Officer Charles Shaw led to this morning’s apprehension of accused violent criminal Donnell Anthony Simpson, who is accused in the stabbings of his sister-in-law and his wife at separate locations early today.
          
Officer Shaw was on his way home from work when he spotted Simpson walking on Owendale Drive at Hamilton Church Road just after 7 a.m.  Upon seeing the police car, Simpson ran into the woods.  Officer Shaw turned around and stopped, prompting Simpson to emerge from the Woods and surrender.  He was ordered to the ground and was taken into custody without resistance.  
          
Simpson is facing two counts of attempted murder for the stabbing incidents.  In the first case from 12:30 a.m., Donnell Simpson’s brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Lena Simpson, were asleep inside their Melvin Jones Drive home when Donnell Simpson appeared in their bedroom.  Lena Simpson, 37, reports Donnell attacked her with a knife and stabbed her in the right chest.  Ronald Simpson grabbed his brother in a bear hug and wrestled him away.  During the ensuing struggle, Donnell ran away.  Ronald then drove his wife, with the knife still in her right chest, to Southern Hills Medical Center.  She was subsequently transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.    
          
In the second case from 12:50 a.m., Donnell Simpson came to his wife’s Forest Breeze Drive home despite an active order of protection.  A man was actually present changing the locks on the residence when Donnell Simpson arrived.  Witnesses reported that Donnell Simpson punched Marqueta Simpson, 31, in the face at least twice before retrieving a box cutter from his pocket.  He stabbed her several times and even dragged her toward the front door as Marqueta Simpson’s mother, who was also present, telephoned police.  Donnell Simpson then ran from the home to his car.  He apparently could not find the keys and fled the property on foot.  Officers searched for Donnell Simpson through the night until Officer Shaw spotted him this morning.
          
Officers arrested Donnell Simpson on Monday at 4:45 p.m. on charges of aggravated assault and violating an order of protection obtained by his wife on Sunday.  Marqueta Simpson reported that he threw a brick at her while she was in her vehicle.  The brick broke a window and landed in the back floorboard.  He was taken into custody after returning to the Forest Breeze Drive residence.  Simpson’s bail on those charges was set at $5,000.  He bonded out last night at 9:16 p.m.   
          
Marqueta Simpson is now in stable condition at Vanderbilt.  Lena Simpson has been released from the hospital.
          
In addition to the attempted murder charges, Donnell Simpson is also being charged with violating the conditions of his bond and again violating the order of protection.

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