Kyle police make arrest in 2015 double murder

Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett announced the arrest of a Louisiana man in connection to a 2015 double murder on Wednesday. 

Larry Simon, 47, was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder for the 2015 murders of James “Jim” Wright, 45, of Kyle, and Tina Combs, 44, of Arlington. 

“Preserving the integrity of this case and the subsequent prosecution has been a top priority for our department throughout the entirety of the investigation," Barnett said in a statement. “Detectives have spent thousands of hours diligently following leads and gathering evidence to find who was responsible for this and see that justice was given to the victims and their families. In addition to the police that worked this case tirelessly, I would like to also offer our sincere gratitude to the Texas Rangers who assisted in the investigation of this case.”

Barnett said in a Facebook live video Wednesday that KPD responded to 810 South Sledge St. in Kyle for a welfare concern on June 25, 2015. The officers who arrived on scene failed to make contact with anyone at the door and proceeded to enter the home, Barnett said. Police then found the bodies of Wright and Combs. Through a criminal investigation, investigators and subsequent autopsies ruled their deaths as homicides. 

Simon was incarcerated in the Hays County Jail on unrelated charges when KPD sought two arrest warrants for the capital murder charges from Hays County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Beth Smith, officials said. Simon, who was an employee and roommate of Wright’s, was identified as a person of interest early in the investigation and KPD was able to obtain warrants for his arrest on Feb. 2, 2021, police said.

During the Facebook live video, Barnett read the following statement from the Wright family: “Today, the Wright family wants to express gratitude to all of the many friends of our dear Jimmy that have been so supportive of us through these difficult years. News of this arrest does not bring our family any joy. We only hope that if the suspect is found guilty, justice will help keep him from hurting another family the way that he has hurt ours.” 

Simon is currently being held in the Hays County Jail without bond. Officials said the case will be filed in the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s office for prosecution.