Bio

Beoria Abraham Simmons III was born on May 17, 1954. He grew up in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Not much is known about his early childhood or family life. There is no detailed information available about his upbringing, education, or any significant events that shaped his youth.

As he grew older, Simmons became involved in criminal activities. His life took a dark turn in the early 1980s. During this time, he committed a series of crimes that would lead to his conviction as a serial killer.

In 1985, he was sentenced to death for the abduction, rape, and murder of three women. This decision was made in Jefferson County, where his crimes had occurred. Over the following years, Simmons would appeal his case multiple times. In 2010, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole.

Murder Story

Beoria Abraham Simmons III committed a series of crimes in Jefferson County, Kentucky, between 1981 and 1983. He abducted three women at gunpoint and murdered them. His victims were Robin Barnes, Shannon House, and Nancy Bettman. Robin Barnes was just 15 years old when she was kidnapped and killed on May 18, 1981. Shannon House, 29, was taken on March 25, 1982, and Nancy Bettman, 39, was murdered on March 11, 1983.

Simmons’s method involved shooting his victims after he placed them under duress. He targeted white females and took them to remote locations where he assaulted them before killing them. In one instance, a fourth victim who was only 16 years old managed to escape. She was also taken to a remote area, where Simmons intended to attack her. She fought back and stabbed him, allowing her to escape and later identify him to the police.

The bodies of Simmons’s victims were found in or near Louisville's Iroquois Park. Authorities arrested Beoria Simmons on June 11, 1983, following the escape of the fourth girl. In 1985, Simmons was sentenced to death for his crimes. However, his sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole on March 3, 2010.