An inmate accused of killing an alleged child molester in a Texas jail reportedly told authorities that his deceased mother and God gave him the “go ahead.”
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that 42-year-old David Faustino Flores is accused of beating 76-year-old Clinton Don Simpson to death inside a cell at the Tarrant County jail on November 7. The outlet spoke with Flores, who has schizophrenia, during his hearing. The suspect, who was in jail on an unrelated charge of assault on an elderly person, explained that his deceased mother and God told him to kill Simpson, who stood accused of sexually molesting a dozen children.
“My mom said, ‘That’s Bin Laden, so you ought to go get him.’ So I went to wale on him … And God said, ‘Go ahead,’” Flores said.
Flores also said that he warned authorities he needed his own cell when he arrived to the jail. He claimed while jail officials did put him solitary confinement and on suicide watch after he tried to kill himself, he was eventually moved to the medical unit of the jail and put into a cell with Simpson.
“At that time I was already paranoid everyone wants to kill me. I thought this whole place was ISIS.”
After punching Simpson in the head more the 40 times, Flores allegedly began slamming the man’s head on the hard concrete floor until authorities intervened. Flores explained that beating the man had nothing to do with Simpson’s charges. He said at the time, he had no idea Simpson was facing child molestation charges.
“I didn’t mean to do it,” Flores said. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Simpson, a former preacher, owned a children’s train and track station, “Mr. Don’s Whistle Stop,” that he operated from his back yard. Numerous children from the area stopped by to ride the train and play. In 2007, after decades of operating the train station and hosting children’s birthday parties, he was accused of sexually molesting one boy and 11 pre-school-age girls.
Simpson faced charges of aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child, but trial was delayed for years after a judge sent Simpson for a psychiatric evaluation, which resulted in the suspect staying years in a state mental health hospital, deemed incompetent to stand trial.
Earlier this month, Simpson was deemed competent for trial and transferred from the mental health hospital to jail.
The assault took place at around 2:20 a.m. Less than an hour later, Simpson was pronounced dead after authorities took him to the John Peter Smith Hospital. A medical examiner said Simpson died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Simpson’s friend expressed shock over the accusations against him, dubbing him a “great preacher.”
“He was a wonderful family man who was very kind,” family friend Frances Bobo said. “He so loved God and his family…..This man would never had done what he was accused of.”
Don’s Whistle Stop shut down in 2007 for operating without a business permit.
[Feature Photo: David Faustino Flores (l) and Don Simpson (r)/Police Handout]
