1 Attachment(s)
Eric Lee Simmons - Florida
Attachment 135
Facts of the Crime:
Eric Simmons was indicted and convicted of the kidnapping, sexual battery and murder of Deborah Tressler. On December 3, 2001, Tressler’s body was discovered in a wooded area by a patrolling officer. Crime Scene Technicians photographed the scene and took evidence such as 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 December 1, 2001.
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. Jose Rodriguez testified that he saw Simmons and Tressler talking together in the laundromat on the evening of December 1, 2001. 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 December 1, 2001, 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.
During questioning, Simmons acknowledged spending time with Tressler on December 1, 2001, 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.
The larvae collected from Tressler’s body were used to determine the time of death. Originally, December 1, 2001 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.
Simmons was sentenced to death in Lake County on December 11, 2003.