Nancy Grace Twitter Threats Land Man Behind Bars

By Aditi Mukherji, JD on July 25, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A Nancy Grace Twitter threat has all the makings of a criminal drama: Jodi Arias, controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and a creepy alleged stalker at the center of it all.

David Lee Simpson, 48, of Bath, New York, is apparently in stalker infatuation love with Jodi Arias, and he's not afraid to make death threats via Twitter to prove it.

Many people have qualms with Nancy Grace's (vindictive) reporting style on her cable TV show, but apparently Simpson really didn't like her coverage of the Jodi Arias trial.

Grace and fellow HLN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell both covered the nearly five-month Arias trial regularly. And both focused heavily on Arias' guilt, something that apparently angered Simpson, reports The Associated Press.

Among the first threatening Tweets was one aimed at Velez-Mitchell, stating, "I will be waiting for you and Nancy" when Arias' retrial begins.

In the same string of tweets, Simpson indicated he was in Arizona and threatened to "slit Nancy Grace's throat."

When Simpson quit his auto shop job and started traveling south, the police stepped in.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- yes, the same sheriff notorious for racial profiling and abusing power -- announced Simpson's arrest.

"He provided a full confession and stated he posted everything on Twitter because he was in love with Jodi Arias and he wanted a life with her," according to the probable cause statement.

Police said they found in his car and travel camper: two guns, a pair of handcuffs, several knives, binoculars, zip ties, shotgun ammunition, a police scanner and receipts for purchases of two shotguns and a 0.22-caliber rifle, reports the AP.

An Arizona grand jury indicted Simpson on three counts of computer tampering and two counts of stalking. He also is accused of threatening a Phoenix woman who defended the anchors online.

State stalking laws vary widely. Generally, stalking involves a clear pattern of conduct in which the offender follows, harasses, or threatens another person, putting that person in fear for his or her safety.

Here, the HLN authorities told authorities that "both Nancy and Jane were concerned for their safety," reports the AP.

Court records show he does not yet have a lawyer.

Needless to say, Simpson really needs help with his game. What ever happened to flowers and chocolates?

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