Bio

Danielle Nathaniel Simpson was born on October 26, 1979, in Anderson County, Texas. He grew up in a challenging environment. There are limited details about his early childhood or his family background. As a young boy, he became involved with gangs in his community, which influenced many aspects of his later life.

By the time he reached his teenage years, Danielle was living in Anderson County with his aunts. He attended school there but left before completing his education, finishing only up to the 11th grade. During this time, he took up work as a machinist and laborer.

Simpson had a history of run-ins with the law even before committing serious crimes. In 1998, he was arrested and charged with indecency with a child. He received a deferred adjudication, meaning he was on probation but did not serve time in jail then. His life was marked by several conflicts and incidents of violence, including assaults against women. Reports indicate that he was often involved in criminal activities, including burglary and gang-related offenses.

In January 2000, when he was 20 years old, Simpson, along with his wife and a cousin, planned to burglarize the home of an elderly woman in their neighborhood.

Danielle Simpson was executed by lethal injection in Texas on November 18, 2009, but these details reflect only his early life prior to the crimes he committed.

Murder Story

On January 26, 2000, Danielle Simpson and three accomplices went to the home of 84-year-old Geraldine Davidson in Anderson County, Texas, intending to commit robbery. They had previously burglarized her house on at least two occasions. When Davidson returned home unexpectedly, Simpson held a knife to her throat and demanded money. After she handed over cash from her purse, he directed his accomplices to restrain her.

Simpson then left her momentarily to retrieve duct tape and a pillowcase. When he returned, he taped her mouth shut, bound her hands and feet, and covered her head with the pillowcase. They placed her in the trunk of her own vehicle and drove around for a while, buying drugs and showing off the captive to friends.

Later, they were joined by Simpson's younger brother, Lionel, who suggested they should kill Davidson. The group then drove to a dead-end road. They took Davidson out of the trunk, re-taped her legs and hands, and physically assaulted her before returning her to the trunk.

After eating at a fast-food restaurant, they drove to the Neches River. There, Simpson and Lionel removed Davidson from the trunk and further assaulted her. They tied one end of a rope around her legs and secured the other end to a concrete block. Then, they discarded her into the river, where she drowned.

Davidson's body was discovered the following day by a passing motorist. Simpson, along with his accomplices, was arrested a short time later while still in possession of the victim's vehicle.

After a lengthy legal process, which included multiple failed appeals, Danielle Simpson was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection on November 18, 2009.