In the hours and days following the violent deaths of four people in a Bloomington residence last month, outpourings of support for Chelsea Lusher, her son Armoni Bennett and friend Trina Hollings appeared online and in a candlelight vigil outside Lusher’s Lee Street home.
Police allege Christopher Simmons shot and killed Lusher, Bennett and Hollings before taking his life. But they still don’t know why.
“It’s still a question we have,” said Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington told WGLT. “We do not understand the ‘why’ behind this unfortunate scenario.”
Simington is calling on the community to come forward with information about Simmons or the Feb. 23 killings.
Court and police records gathered by WGLT similarly fail to paint a clear picture of Simmons, 33, or what precipitated the killings. At one point, he worked full-time in assembly at Rivian. Former coworkers posted online about his kind, funny demeanor, expressing shock that he might be involved in such a violent crime. Rivian confirmed he was not an employee at the time of his death. WGLT unsuccessfully attempted to contact family members.
Police records indicate Simmons had no known gang affiliation. Lusher and Simmons were in a long-term relationship and there is no documented history of domestic violence or escalation of violent behavior in McLean County. The McLean County circuit clerk confirmed Simmons was not and had never been subject to an order of protection in McLean County. Bloomington Police received no calls for service at either of Simmons’ previous addresses or Lusher’s home on Lee Street in the past four years.
It’s unclear how long Simmons and Lusher were together. Simmons is listed as Lusher’s partner as far back as June 2023, according to her mother’s obituary. Family members of Lusher and Hollings were not available for comment for this story.
While there were no documented incidents of domestic violence in McLean County before the killings, Lusher’s family has said the community could learn from what happened.
“If you’re in a domestic violence relationship, get out. Run! It’s not worth it. For real, it’s not worth it. I just lost my sister and nephew to domestic violence. My nieces lost their mom and their brother to domestic violence,” Amber Thompson, Lusher's sister and Bennett’s aunt, said at a community vigil the after the killings.
Few clues from Simmons' past
Simmons wasn’t a great driver, collecting traffic violations like speeding, expired registration, improper lane usage and failure to obey stop signs. And he appeared to struggle with substance abuse. Court records confirm two DUIs within three years. On several occasions, he was cited for having small amounts of cannabis, before and after Illinois legalized it for recreational use in 2020.
The second DUI offense was on Oct. 31, 2022. Simmons pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to 24 months conditional discharge and 240 hours community service. A 90-day jail sentence was stayed.
Simmons complied, finishing his community service and DUI risk education. But records show evidence of ups and downs.
On Nov. 24, 2022, Simmons was the passenger in a pulled-over vehicle. He had an open container of cannabis and was arrested after fleeing the car. He told police he had a gun, which they recovered at the scene. Simmons had a valid firearm owner identification [FOID] card, but not a concealed carry license. He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon.
Four days later, on Nov. 29, he received a “VIP certificate of completion” for a session with Victim Impact Speakers, a national nonprofit providing online panel discussions with victims of drunk driving.
“We can only hope that we make a long-lasting impression on viewers of our panel that will result in their being better individuals,” Victim Impact Speakers executive director George Heroux said in an email.
In a written response to questions, a spokesperson for Illinois State Police confirmed Simmons’ FOID card was revoked on Dec. 19, 2022, a few weeks after his arrest on the gun charge. He was prohibited from legally possessing and purchasing firearms at the time of his death, police said.
On Sept. 23, 2023, Simmons accepted a plea deal on the gun charge. In a supplemental police report obtained by WGLT through a records request, officials noted a seized Taurus handgun. His conditional discharge was due to end March 25.
Simington would not discuss the gun found at the crime scene, under Simmons’ body, citing an ongoing investigation, though Bloomington Police previously noted the gun used in the killings had been purchased legally. A source from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF], the federal agency that catalogs firearms, confirmed Bloomington Police requested tracing information. The Freedom of Information Act excludes reporter requests for information about specific weapons.
Simington said detectives are currently waiting on forensics and continuing to conduct interviews and gather evidence. While experts say there is no "typical" domestic violence case, domestic violence homicide without evidence of prior physical, verbal or emotional abuse is extremely rare, making it more difficult for police to get to the "why" in this case.
"We truly don't know his reason or what led to that night," Simington said. “There’s still work to be done."
If you need help or support with domestic violence, contact Mid Central Community Action's 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 309-827-7070. All services are free and confidential.
