A second arrest has been made in connection to the disappearance of Texas realtor and mom-of-four Suzanne Clark Simpson.
James Vallee Cotter, 65, a business associate of Simpson’s husband Brad Simpson, was arrested at his home on Monday on charges of tampering with evidence, a third degree felony, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
Bexar County Jail records show that Cotter was booked in the early hours of Tuesday. He is also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon and is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to the records.
Cotter is the son of late real estate tycoon James F. Cotter and has known Brad Simpson for 25 years, reported My SanAntonio.
Simpson, 51, has now been missing for over two weeks after a neighbor allegedly last saw her in a physical altercation with her husband at their home in Olmos Park on the night of October 7.
Brad Simpson, 53, was arrested two days later on October 9 on charges of assault causing bodily injury-family violence, and unlawful restraint.
He is currently being held on $2m bond and is said to be being uncooperative with police.
Last week, law enforcement officials carried out a search of a local landfill site but have still found no sign of the missing mother.
According to an affidavit for Cotter’s arrest, seen by San Antonio Express News, Cotter allegedly helped Brad Simpson hide an AK-47 rifle that may be linked to Simpson’s disappearance.
The affidavit alleges Brad Simpson texted Cotter on October 8 writing: “If you’re in Bandera can you haul a** and meet me at your house? I don’t have much time…”
In a follow-up message, Brad Simpson allegedly added: “Ok, make sure to leave all that s*** in the pump house, especially that gun."
According to the affidavit, Cotter “retrieved the automatic rifle from a walk-in weapons vault in Simpson’s home in Olmos Park and hid it in his own house, behind a wall-mounted television.”
Cotter then allegedly lied to investigators when questioned about “that gun.”
A K9 team found the hidden weapon in Cotter’s bedroom, the documents allege. An orange string was looped onto the rifle as a way to pull it from its hiding place, authorities say.
Brad Simpson also had an arsenal of weapons hidden inside the home he shares with his wife, the affidavit states.
Simpson’s sister Teresa Clark spoke to Fox San Antonio on Sunday about the family’s hopes of bringing her home.
“We are going to bring Suzanne home because Suzanne was an incredible mother, daughter, sister, and she was a beloved person in the San Antonio community – who was born and raised in San Antonio,” she said.
