Bio

Christopher Simcox was born on December 10, 1909, in England. He grew up in an era where life was quite different than today. Not much is known about his childhood, but he eventually became a maintenance fitter by trade.

Simcox had a troubled personal life. He was divorced by his first wife due to cruelty. This aspect of his personality would later be significant in his relationships. After his first marriage, he married again and had a second wife. However, he ended up committing a crime that changed his life forever.

In 1948, Christopher Simcox murdered his second wife. His actions led to a court case where he was sentenced to death. At this time, there were discussions in the British government regarding capital punishment. Simcox's sentence was put on hold due to a new amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill. This amendment intended to suspend executions for five years. During the time his case was reviewed, he was among 26 other condemned prisoners who received reprieves.

After serving ten years in prison, Simcox was released on licence. He married for a third time in 1962 to a woman named Ruby Irene. Their marriage faced difficulties, especially when he threatened her with an air pistol in 1963. As a result, Ruby left him with help from her family.

Simcox's life continued to spiral. He sought out Ruby and, in a violent incident, shot her sister, Hilda Payton, fatally. He then pursued Ruby, causing harm to himself in the process. He was once again brought to trial and sentenced to death in 1964. However, his execution was postponed, and he was eventually given life imprisonment instead.

In 1969, Ruby divorced Simcox, and the judge recommended that he should never be released. Christopher Simcox passed away in Portsmouth in early 1981 at the age of 71. It is unknown if he was still a prisoner at the time of his death.

Murder Story

Christopher Simcox murdered his second wife in 1948. He was convicted and sentenced to death. However, in 1948, the House of Commons passed a law that temporarily suspended the death penalty for murder. The Home Secretary decided to reprieve all prisoners on death row during this period, including Simcox. He served ten years in prison before being released on licence.

In 1963, Simcox married for the third time. He threatened his new wife with an air pistol, which resulted in probation instead of imprisonment. His wife left him later that year. On November 11, 1963, Simcox went looking for her. He found his wife’s sister, Hilda Payton, and shot her in the head, causing her death. He then went to his wife’s brother's house where he shot at both his wife and her brother, but they survived. Afterward, Simcox shot himself twice but also managed to survive.

In February 1964, Simcox faced another trial and was sentenced to death again. Under the laws at the time, he was eligible for the death penalty due to the nature of his crimes. His execution was scheduled for March 17, 1964. However, his lawyers argued that he was still injured from his self-inflicted wounds and could not walk, which would make the execution process unusual.

On March 14, 1964, the Home Secretary granted him a reprieve. His death sentence was changed to life imprisonment. In 1969, he was divorced by his wife, who recommended that he never be released. Christopher Simcox died in Portsmouth in early 1981 at the age of 71. It is unknown whether he was still in prison at the time of his death.