Colorado woman sentenced to life in prison for killing and dismembering sex offender

Deka Simmons, a 38-year-old Colorado woman, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of 48-year-old Daxcimo Ceja, a registered sex offender. Simmons, who had a deep-seated disdain for pedophiles, shot Ceja in a garage, dismembered his body, and stored the remains in a freezer before dumping them in a drainage ditch. Ceja had a warrant for his arrest due to failing to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began in April 2022, leading to Simmons' arrest. Prosecutor Sharon Flaherty stated that Simmons killed Ceja because of his past relationship with a 17-year-old girl when he was 25. According to Flaherty, Simmons harbored an "unrestrained hatred" for child molesters, which she described as a "fixation" and "paranoia."

The brutal crime was linked to Simmons through DNA evidence collected from over 300 bloodstains found in the garage. In October 2023, police discovered Ceja's body in a drainage ditch after receiving an anonymous tip.

During the trial, it was revealed that Simmons believed her daughter had been sexually assaulted by her stepfather, which may have fueled her actions. Ceja’s parents, Barry and Karen Fancher, gave emotional victim-impact statements, with Karen stating, "He was killed for something he did 24 years ago."

In addition to her life sentence, Simmons received 24 years for tampering with a deceased body and three years for tampering with physical evidence.