Vero Beach Police charge two men in connection with the Brian Simpson murder case

"Thank God they caught him," said Susan Haller Tuesday night.

 

Haller was one of the first to get the news that five days after her brother, 41-year-old Brian Simpson, was shot to death in his own home, two people are now behind bars.

"We're kind of at a loss for words right now, mixed feelings," said Haller.

 

Simpson was killed after walking into a burglary in progress at his home at 620 Fiddlewood Road in Vero Beach last Thursday.

"He will be deeply missed by this community," said Interim Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey at a press conference Tuesday evening.

Police say it was a tip that came in Monday morning from neighbors and a local mailman that gave them the break they needed. 16-year-old Darius Robinson and 23-year-old Henry Jones Jr. were found just blocks from the crime scene. Police say they may have gone back to get the murder weapon, which has yet to be recovered.

After a lot of questioning, both were charged on Tuesday with first-degree murder and armed burglary of an occupied dwelling. Police say Henry Jones Jr. fired the deadly shots from the door of the master bathroom into the master bedroom where Brian was. Jones was also charged with armed burglary with a deadly weapon.

"We have a mountain of physical evidence at the scene that we're still examining," said Currey.

At a neighborhood watch meeting Tuesday night, residents expressed concerns over Simpson's death and about the number of burglaries happening in the area.

Residents are urged to report any suspicious activity to police.