NJ - Ezra Simon-Daniels, 20, fatally beat grandparents with baseball bat, Branchburg, 13 Feb 2016

[10MinMur]

4 years ago, Ezra Simon-Daniels killed his grandparents with a baseball bat, then drove to a walmart and called 911. He says that he woke up in his car, covered in blood with no idea how he got there. He was charged with 2 counts of first degree murder, and they were doing a mental evaluation on him, but all info after that disappears.

Just curious if anyone has any idea where it stands now.

Here's a link: More Details Emerge in Somerset Baseball Bat Murders

 

[Laughing]

2017:

Psychiatric exam for man charged in death of grandparents

Another psych eval ordered, according to this article.

Are you local to the case?

@Jersey*Girl @JerseyGirl @jerseygirl2020

just trying to find some locals....

 

[JerseyGirl]

From January 2019:

Psychiatric exam for man charged in death of grandparents

He recently underwent a psychiatric exam by a psychiatrist. The report states Simon-Daniels suffers from schizophrenia and hallucinations and is in need of "long-term" care. It is unclear if it was stated that Simon-Daniels was competent to stand trial.

The State agreed to have Simon-Daniels evaluated at Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton, but reserved the right for the prosecution to have its own doctor evaluate him before a decision is made on his competency.

Previously, Simon-Daniel underwent a psychological evaluation and was deemed competent to stand trial.

Reed set July 28 (2019) as the next court date.

Depending on the results of Simon-Daniels' evaluation at Ann Klein, a competency hearing may be held to determine if he's fit to stand trial.

Simon-Daniels remains held on $2 million bail in Somerset County Jail.

 

[Laughing]

@JerseyGirl , thanks for responding to the WS Bat Signal!

Locals are so important here....

 

[rose grace]

Ezra sat next to me in class. He was quiet but always kind. I was bullied a lot, he never joined in. He was quiet and took advanced drawing. I remember he liked using charcoal. I do wonder about him from time to time.

 

[ifindedout]

From April 2023

Branchburg man who killed grandparents with baseball bat will remain hospitalized

Ezra Simon-Daniels was committed after he was declared incompetent to stand trial on charges he murdered his grandparents in their home in 2016.

www.mycentraljersey.com

A Branchburg man charged with killing his grandparents in their bed with a baseball bat has lost his bid to be released from a state psychiatric hospital.

A state Appellate Court rejected 27-year-old Ezra Simon-Daniels’ appeal of multiple Superior Court rulings that he should remain committed in Greystone State Psychiatric Hospital.

Simon-Daniels was committed after he was declared incompetent to stand trial on charges he murdered his grandparents, Louis Simon, 78, and his wife Beatrice, 65, in their Readington Road home in February 2016.

A Superior Court judge dismissed the charges after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia following his arrest but said he was committed for psychiatric care, court papers say.

 

[caradana]

MOO, a few interesting elements of this case,
1) No mention of the generation in between, Ezra’s parents/the Simons’ child. MOO: wherever that person is, I hope he or she is receiving intensive therapy, and
2) I grew up maybe 5 miles from Greystone and thought it had been shut down by the State of New Jersey years ago. I am surprised to learn via this case that it’s open! Place looks like an outtake from a Stephen King movie and had accusations of staff abuse years ago, and
3) MOO: In another lifetime, with different mental health and other circumstances, he could’ve successfully modeled. He had the facial bone structure it and
4) Strange to me that he can appeal for release like that. MOO: Have a hard time imagining a judge ever seriously considering it.

 

[ImBack_143]

I joined just to refresh this thread & post this..
I knew the deceased grandmother, Betty, very well (professionally).
She was caring, blunt & direct, smart & not afraid to say/do what was right.
At she & her husband’s services, her family was incredibly strong-willed (just like Betty was) & if I remember correctly, they had flowers between Betty & her husband's caskets, put together, spelling out the word “FAMILY”.
Whatever Ezra’s diagnosis is/was & whatever he was remembered to be like in his past, the world is a better place with him away & a worse place without Betty in it.