A 48-year-old man was arrested last week for stalking and making threats over twitter towards two news anchors in Phoenix, Arizona covering the Jodi Arias trial.
David Lee Simpson was obsessed with Arias, who was found guilty in May of first-degree murder for viciously killing her boyfriend Travis Alexander in their home in suburban Phoenix.
The two female anchors, who have not been identified, made comments about the Arias trial on a newscast that angered Simpson to the point where he tweeted violent and descriptive threats towards them. Last week, Simpson was pulled over by police in his hometown of Bath, New York after he quit his job and was planning to leave town.
According to The Associated Press police then found guns, ammunition, handcuffs, zip-ties, binoculars, police radios, and newspaper clippings from famous shootings in Simpson’s car.
Simpson has been charged with three felony counts of computer tampering and two felony counts of stalking, and will be brought to Arizona Wednesday to begin his arraignment. Investigators are not sure if Simpson was actually going to carry out his threats but are pleased that they caught him early.
“This suspect was on his way south with enough weapons in his car to do serious harm to someone,” said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Washington Times reports. “Fortunately, we acted quickly and in so doing, were able to stop him before anything could transpire.”
Since there was a deadlock in the jury for the sentencing portion of Arias’ trial, a new jury in late September will decide if she receives the death penalty or life in prison.