Quick Read

A seemingly random home invasion murder goes cold for years until investigators uncover a secret 'slave contract' and a web of inconsistencies that point to the victim's wife.
Initial investigation found no forced entry or foreign DNA, despite Julene Simco's claims of an intruder.
Julene's detailed account of the murder night contained numerous inconsistencies and memory gaps.
Discovery of a 'master-slave' contract and a suspicious computer search linked to Julene's past trauma became key evidence.

Summary

In November 2009, Jeremy Simco was found dead from a point-blank gunshot to the head in his Ohio home. His wife, Julene Simco, called 911, claiming an intruder. The initial investigation found no signs of forced entry, no foreign DNA, and a functional security system, yet the case went cold for years. In 2013, investigators re-interviewed Julene, who provided inconsistent and hazy recollections of the night. Key evidence emerged, including the murder weapon being wiped clean, neighbors hearing no dog barking (despite the dogs being known to bark at intruders), and a suspicious second 'break-in' reported by Julene the day after the murder, which a contractor believed was staged. Crucially, detectives discovered a 14-page handwritten 'master-slave father-daughter agreement' between Jeremy and Julene, which, combined with a computer search for Julene's abusive father's obituary 11 hours before the murder, suggested a deeper, darker motive linked to her past trauma. A nurse also testified that Julene initially stated, 'I shot my husband,' before correcting herself. A 911 call analyst identified multiple markers of a guilty caller in Julene's distress call. In 2017, Julene Simco was found guilty of aggravated murder and sentenced to 28 years in prison, with her conviction upheld on appeal in 2021.
This case illustrates how complex murder investigations rely on meticulous detail, forensic evidence (or the lack thereof), behavioral analysis, and the cumulative weight of inconsistencies to uncover truth, even years after the event. It highlights the hidden dynamics within relationships that can lead to extreme violence and the challenges of prosecuting cases based heavily on circumstantial evidence and psychological profiling.

Takeaways

  • Jeremy Simco was shot point-blank in the back of the head in 2009; his wife, Julene, called 911 claiming an intruder.
  • The .357 Magnum murder weapon was found clean of DNA or blowback, despite a point-blank shot, suggesting it was wiped.
  • Julene's 9mm, which she claimed to fire at an intruder, also had no blood, despite her touching Jeremy's bloody body.
  • No forced entry was found, the security system was functional, and neighbors heard no dog barking, contradicting Julene's story.
  • Investigators discovered a 14-page 'master-slave' contract between Jeremy and Julene, raising questions about their relationship dynamics.
  • 11 hours before the murder, a computer in their home was used to search for Julene's abusive father's obituary.
  • A nurse reported Julene initially stated, 'I shot my husband,' before correcting herself to 'My husband was shot.'
  • A 911 call analyst identified 10 markers of a guilty caller in Julene's distressed call.
  • Julene Simco was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to 28 years in prison in 2017.

Insights

1Initial Scene Inconsistencies

Despite Julene's claims of an intruder, the initial investigation found no signs of forced entry, the security system was functional, and there was no foreign DNA in the house, contradicting her narrative.

Security system functional, no signs of forced entry, no foreign DNA in the house.

2Clean Murder Weapon

The .357 Magnum believed to be the murder weapon was found clean of any DNA or blowback from the point-blank shot, suggesting it was wiped clean after the murder.

The .357 Magnum found on the kitchen floor was clean of DNA or blowback, despite Jeremy being shot at point-blank range.

3Julene's Inconsistent Account

During her 2013 interview, Julene struggled to recall crucial details about the night of the murder, such as the exact noise that woke her, who locked the house, or the length of the dog chains, which investigators deemed suspicious.

Julene could not recall the exact noise, who locked the house, or details about the dog chains, despite multiple previous interviews.

4Lack of Dog Barking

Neighbors confirmed the Simco's five dogs were known to bark at any commotion, yet no one heard them barking on the night of the murder, undermining the intruder theory.

Neighbors stated the dogs would 'always come flying out if anything was going on' and would bark at commotions, but heard no barking on the night of the murder.

5The 'Master-Slave' Contract

Investigators discovered a 14-page handwritten 'master-slave father-daughter agreement' between Jeremy and Julene. This document raised questions about the consensual nature of their relationship, especially in light of Julene's past trauma of sexual abuse by her father.

A handwritten 14-page 'master-slave father-daughter agreement' was found among the couple's personal files.

6Father's Obituary Search

Approximately 11 hours before Jeremy's murder, someone used the couple's computer to search for Julene's abusive father's obituary, suggesting a potential psychological trigger or motive for the crime.

Computer forensics revealed a search for Julene's father's obituary at on November 17, 2009, roughly 11 hours before the 911 call.

7Suspicious Second 'Break-in'

The day after Jeremy's death, Julene reported a second break-in where a safe was tampered with and surveillance equipment was missing. A contractor hired to replace the safe believed the damage was staged, noting a fire poker tip was placed in a way that couldn't have been used on that type of safe.

Julene reported a break-in where a safe was tampered with and surveillance was missing; a contractor found a fire poker tip in the safe hinge, which he deemed a 'setup'.

8Nurse's Testimony

A nurse at the hospital where Julene was taken after the murder recalled Julene initially stating, 'I shot my husband,' before quickly correcting herself to 'My husband was shot.'

A nurse testified that Julene mumbled 'I shot my husband' and then corrected it to 'My husband was shot' when asked to repeat herself.

9911 Call Analysis

A professional 911 call analyst identified 10 markers of a guilty caller in Julene's distressed call, including resistance to answer, conflicting facts, and inappropriate sentence order, compared to only four markers of an innocent caller.

A 911 call analyst found 10 markers of a guilty caller in Julene's call, such as resistance to answer, conflicting facts, and inappropriate sentence order.

Lessons

  • Investigators often revisit cold cases years later when new evidence or analytical techniques become available, demonstrating persistence in justice.
  • Inconsistencies in a witness's story, especially regarding critical details, can be a major red flag in criminal investigations and are meticulously documented.
  • Forensic evidence, or the lack thereof (e.g., no foreign DNA, a cleaned weapon), can be as crucial as direct evidence in building a comprehensive case.
  • Behavioral patterns and complex relationship dynamics, even those considered private, can become central to understanding motive in violent crimes and are explored by investigators.

Quotes

"

"Is there anything about this incident that you haven't told us that you would like to tell us? No."

Julene Simco
"

"I mean, you can see where I'm coming from here, correct? Okay. Agree with me or not agree with me? I mean, can you see at least the logic of where I'm coming from? Sure."

Investigator
"

"I wasn't there. You were there. I'm only taking I'm only going where the evidence in this case... but I'm going where the evidence leads."

Investigator
"

"I thought that she had said, 'I shot my husband.' And I asked her again, 'What did you just say?' And she said, 'My husband was shot.'"

Nurse
"

"Julene, do you think Jeremy knows who shot him? ...Yeah, he knows."

Friend and Julene Simco

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