Man Shoots Wife, Says He ‘Would Rather Live in Prison’ Than ‘Deal With’ Her

An 80-year-old former police officer is behind bars in Florida after deputies say he calmly confessed to shooting his wife — and chillingly declared he would “rather live in prison” than continue caring for her as she battled dementia.

The suspect, William Elwood Simmons, was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 83-year-old wife, Nancy Simmons, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched to the couple’s Orlando home just after 5:15 p.m. on February 21. The caller allegedly told dispatchers his wife “was down and I’m just sitting here,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

When deputies arrived, they found Simmons in the garage.

“I do know what happened, I did it,” he reportedly told them.

When asked whether there were any weapons inside, Simmons allegedly replied, “Well, one on the floor. I put it there.”

Inside the kitchen, deputies discovered Nancy Simmons dead from a single gunshot wound. A shotgun and a spent shell casing were found on the floor, according to investigators.

At the station, Simmons reportedly waived off any ambiguity.

He told detectives he was “guilty” and admitted he shot his wife.

According to the arrest affidavit, the couple had been arguing in the kitchen about going on a cruise. During the dispute, Nancy allegedly told him multiple times, “F**k you, you bastard.”

Investigators say Simmons claimed the insults “triggered” him.

He allegedly walked to the bedroom, retrieved a shotgun from the closet, returned to the kitchen — and fired once after she repeated the insult.

“She said it again,” the affidavit states. He pulled the trigger.

During questioning, Simmons reportedly told detectives he had dealt with his wife’s dementia for “far too long.”

He said he loved “the old Nancy.”

Then came the statement that stunned investigators.

He allegedly said “that he would rather live in prison than to deal with her.”

The toll of dementia caregiving is widely documented. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a broad term for cognitive decline severe enough to interfere with daily life, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common cause. Caregivers often face emotional burnout, financial strain, and mental health challenges.

But prosecutors will likely argue that frustration is not a defense for homicide.

Simmons is currently being held without bond at the Orange County Jail. Court records do not yet show whether he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.

If convicted of first-degree murder in Florida, he could face life in prison without parole — or potentially the death penalty.

Florida has sharply increased executions in recent years, with 19 inmates executed in 2025 alone, one of the highest totals in decades. Under state law, executions are carried out by lethal injection, though inmates may choose electrocution.

What remains unclear is how long the couple had been married, whether they had children, or when Nancy was diagnosed with dementia.

What is clear, investigators say, is that the man who once wore a badge now faces the rest of his life in a prison uniform.