A New York man has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of computer tampering and stalking after threatening two news anchors covering the infamous Jodi Arias trial.
David Lee Simpson, 48, of Bath, N.Y. is accused of threatening two female CNN news anchors with murder and torture via Twitter after he became infuriated by comments they made while covering the trial, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Among Simpson's tweets were threats to strap the news anchors to a "tree naked and leave them to suffer all night" and then "slit their throats."
"He [also] told an employee where he worked previously that he wanted to hang the commentator by her feet and gut her like a deer," Arpaio said during a press conference.
The Maricopa County Sheriff reportedly sent a deputy to New York who successfully tracked the comments back to Simpson. A grand jury in Phoenix indicted him on July 19, according to a report from azcentral.com.
Simpson has been charged with three counts of computer tampering, which are class 5 felonies and two counts of stalking - class 3 felonies.
Reportedly, after his indictment Simpson quit his job and told co-workers that he was leaving town.
According to a report from azfamily.com, Simpson was arrested soon thereafter while in his car.
In the car, officers found guns, shotgun ammunition, knives, handcuffs and zip ties. Additionally, they found a receipt for a recently purchased shotgun, though the gun has not yet been located. Police seized all of these items, which will be used as evidence in the case against Simpson.
"Threats against anyone have to be taken seriously...this suspect was on his way south with enough weapons in his car to do serious harm to someone," Arpaio said. "Fortunately, we acted quickly and in so doing, were able to stop him before anything could transpire."
Simpson was arrested in his home town by local police and detectives from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. He is expected to be transported to Arizona on Wednesday to face additional charges stemming from Monday's arrest.
Also behind bars in Arizona is Simpson's source of infatuation: Jodi Arias. Arias is awaiting a new trial in the sentencing phase for the murder of her boyfriend Travis Alexander.
The jury in Arias's initial trial found her guilty of first-degree murder but were unable to agree on how she should be sentenced. That jury was dismissed and it's expected that a new jury will be brought together at some point in September to decide whether Arias will face the death penalty or life in prison for her crimes.
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