Simmons allegedly admitted to killing his mother

EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man charged with killing his 88-year-old mother reportedly confessed during the investigation.

Prosecutors charged Jack P. Simmons, 56, with murder in the second degree in Grant County Superior Court. 

Simmons is accused of killing his mother, Edna A. Simmons, Sunday evening, according to the Moses Lake police report. Police responded to the Sunset Drive residence Jack Simmons shared with his mother after receiving two 9-1-1 calls. The first, from an anonymous caller, stated a dead woman was at the residence, and the victim's son was with her. Jack Simmons called five minutes later to report the death.

Jack Simmons allegedly told police he discovered the phone pulled out of the wall when he returned home. He allegedly reported to police he found his mother had fallen in the rec room, and he carried her to the couch, and started toward the phone before hearing her fall again. When he reportedly said that when he returned to check on her, he found her unresponsive, according to the police report. He reportedly stated he started fixing the phone and was able to make one phone call, before the phone quit.

When police questioned why he didn't get help, Jack Simmons allegedly told police he only knows one neighbor, who goes to bed early, according to the police report.

After more questioning, Jack Simmons reportedly admitted to killing her, according to the police report.

"(Jack) Simmons told me that when he discovered his mother had fallen next to the fireplace he was very angry at her, since he had told her on numerous occasions to stay away from the stone work around the fireplace," according to the police report.

Jack Simmons reportedly told police when he found her, he yelled at her about being in the room, grabbed her by the arms, yanking her to her feet, according to the police report. She reportedly slipped from his grip, falling back to the ground.

"He said over and over that he couldn't believe he killed her," according to the police report.

Investigators claims that after the interview, Jack Simmons framed the incident like an accident. 

An autopsy determined the victim died because of blunt force trauma to the head and torso, according to the Grant County coroner. 

Police found blood in several locations in the rec room, including a footstool, the rocks around the fireplace and the wall, as well as finding places where the blood was wiped up, according to the police report. The pants Jack Simmons was wearing also reportedly had large amounts of blood on them.

A neighbor told police the victim had come over three or four months ago, reportedly covered in blood, accusing her son of beating her, according to the police report.