Eric Simmons

Case identification

• Name: Eric Simmons
• Date of birth: 11/23/74
• Supreme Court of Florida opinion: SC04-19
• DC: 461776
• Fifth Judicial Circuit, Lake County
• Case No.: 0102577
• Date of offense: 12/03/01
• Date of sentence: 12/11/03
• Sentencing judge: The Honorable Michael T. Johnson
• Trial attorney: Jeffery M Pfister – Public Defender
• Attorney (Direct Appeal): Janice C. Orr – Private Attorney
• Collateral appeals: David Hendry, David Bass, James Driscoll – CCRC-M

The offence

Eric Simmons was indicted and convicted of the kidnapping, sexual battery and murder of Deborah Tressler.

On 12/03/01, Tressler’s body was discovered in a wooded area by a patrolling officer.

Investigation

Crime scene technicians photographed the scene and took evidence including beer cans, larvae off the exterior of the body, and casts of the tire tracks that had the greatest detail. No fingerprints of value or bullet shells were found at the scene. Many tire track prints near the body were destroyed in the dig looking for bullets.

The larvae collected from Tressler’s body were used to determine the date of death to be 12/01/03. Since there was no blood or disturbance to the debris around the body, it was concluded that the murder had taken place elsewhere.

The victim had blunt trauma to the head and face, a cut on the neck and a stab wound five inches deep in the lower abdomen. She had injuries to her legs and knees along with defensive wounds to her hands and arms. She also had bruising and lacerations to her anus which were determined to be caused by an object inconsistent with consensual anal intercourse.

Detectives investigated the laundromat where Tressler worked. They found her purse there with a gift list for Eric Simmons and his family members. No blood was found at the laundromat.

Simmons’ car was confiscated for investigation. Evidence of blood stains was found on the passenger’s door, car floor and cushions. The rear tires of Simmons car were a possible match to the tire tracks found at the scene.

Larvae collected from Tressler’s body were used to determine the time of death. Originally, 12/01/03 was the determined date of the murder; however, further examination by an expert revealed that the larvae could not provide evidence for a conclusive date.

Further examination of Simmons’ car also indicated the blood stains were insufficient to classify it as the place where the murder took place.

Arrest / admissions

During questioning, Simmons acknowledged spending time with Tressler on 12/01/03, but claimed that at the end of the evening he dropped her off at the laundromat.

The next morning, Simmons went to Tressler’s home to pick her up for the day, but she was not there. Detectives then told Simmons they had found blood stains inside his car. At this point, Simmons admitted to committing the murder.

Trial

Indictment and counts

• 12/28/01: Indicted as follows
  • Count I: Sexual Battery
  • Count II: First-Degree Murder
• 01/13/03: Indictment amended as follows
  • Count I: Kidnapping
  • Count II: Sexual Battery
  • Count III: First-Degree Murder

Witness identification and testimony

Jose Rodriguez testified that he saw Simmons and Tressler talking together in the laundromat on the evening of 12/01/03. Rodriguez, however, incorrectly identified a photograph as Simmons. It wasn’t until later, when a single photograph of Simmons was shown to Rodriguez, that he accurately identified Simmons.

During trial, two witnesses testified that on 12/01/03, at the Circle K, a car drove by and a girl opened the door, screamed for help and attempted to escape.

• The first witness identified Simmons car as being similar to the car he saw on that night, but not identical.
• The second witness from the Circle K positively identified Simmons’ car, however, she testified that Tressler’s hair did not match the hair of the girl she saw attempting to escape from the car.

Verdicts and sentencing recommendation

• 09/17/03: Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment.
• 09/19/03: Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0.

Sentencing

• 12/11/03: Sentenced as follows
  • Count I: Kidnapping – Life
  • Count II: Sexual Battery – Life
  • Count III: First-Degree Murder – Death

Appeals

On 01/07/04, Simmons filed a direct appeal with the Florida Supreme Court. Simmons contended:

• the verdict was not supported by evidence,
• motions to suppress were improperly denied,
• law enforcement failed to investigate the case to provide any valuable evidence,
• the State mischaracterized and invented new evidence,
• the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case,
• there was no possible cause for his arrest,
• DNA evidence was improperly submitted and argued,
• the lower court erred in excluding the defense’s eye witness expert,
• the state improperly classified one of its witnesses as an expert and in-court identification of Simmons’ car was improperly permitted,
• the prosecutor’s misconduct jeopardized a fair trial,
• the death penalty was improperly imposed.

On 05/11/06, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Simmons filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 12/07/06 that was denied on 02/20/07.

Prior incarceration history (State of Florida)

| Offense Date | Offense | Sentence Date | County | Case No. | Sentence Length | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 11/25/94 | BURG/DWELL/ OCCUP.CONVEY | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 4M 0D | | 11/26/94 | GRAND THEFT,300 L/5,000 | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 4M 0D | | 08/26/96 | CARRYING CONCEALING FIREARM | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 4M 0D | | 08/26/96 | INTROD. DRUG, WEAPON IN CO FACIL | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 0941613 | 2Y 4M 0D | | 06/02/96 | AGGRAVATED FLEEING LEO | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 9600901 | 2Y 4M 0D | | 06/02/96 | AGG. ASSLT/LEO/FIREFGT/EMS/ETC. | 08/26/96 | LAKE | 9600901 | 2Y 4M 0D |

Prior community supervision history

| Offense Date | Offense | Sentence Date | County | Case No. | Supervision Length | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 11/26/94 | BURG/DWELL/OCCUP. CONVEY | 03/13/95 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 0M 0D | | 11/26/94 | GRAND THEFT, 300 L/5,000 | 03/13/95 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 0M 0D | | 11/26/94 | CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM | 03/13/95 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 0M 0D | | 11/26/94 | INTRODUCE WEAPON/ FIREARM | 03/13/95 | LAKE | 9401613 | 2Y 0M 0D |

Other details

• Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us
• Eric Simmons home last updates contact