Man Accused Of Killing Homeless Person Arrested: Polk County Sheriff

POLK COUNTY, FL — A man accused of killing a homeless man is in jail following an 18-hour manhunt near Winter Haven, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Robert Simmons, 42, has been charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and resisting arrest.

“Our suspect is no stranger to trouble and is a dangerous person. Our search for him was hindered by some bad weather Tuesday, but deputies held a tight perimeter around where he was last seen, and contained him there overnight," Sheriff Grady Judd said.

"After sunrise, we were able to methodically close in on him and capture him. Our deputies did a fantastic job, and I’d like to also thank K-9 units from the Winter Haven and Auburndale police departments who assisted," he continued.

Deputies said the search for Simmons began after three people from a homeless camp came forward with information about a possible homicide in the camp from this past weekend.

According to the sheriff's office, over the weekend, Simmons and the homeless man got into a fight, which resulted in the victim receiving a laceration on his back. He refused, however, to seek medical treatment.

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The homeless man was also seen bleeding on his left arm during a fistfight with Simmons.

Deputies said Simmons later returned to the camp and was asked about the victim’s whereabouts. He then left the camp again at around 9 a.m. and was not seen again until after sunset Sunday.

On Tuesday, deputies said Simmons told a couple of witnesses that he was tired of seeing the victim masturbate all of the time and he warned him about it the first time.

"The second time, Simmons 'beat him up,' and the third time he 'killed him.' Upon hearing this, one of the witnesses sought out law enforcement," the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Later that same day, detectives said they recovered the homeless man's body in a shallow grave at a homeless camp just northwest of the intersection of U.S. 17 and Snively Avenue.

A short time later, Simmons, who was walking near the camp, saw deputies and fled, but deputies were able to keep him confined to a small area.

Deputies said they ultimately captured Simmons on business property which is adjacent to the heavily wooded area containing the homeless camp.

Simmons’ prior criminal history includes 16 felonies and 12 misdemeanors and he has been in prison four times, with his most recent release coming in October of 2021. His list of previous charges consists of: Aggravated Battery, Burglaries, Grand Thefts, Motor Vehicle Theft, Escape, Carrying Concealed Weapon, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Drug Possessions, Retail Theft, and Probation Violation.