Julene Simko's 'Slave Contract' and Husband's Murder: A True Crime Investigation

The 911 Call and Initial Investigation

• 911 dispatcher receives a call from Julene Simko reporting her husband, Jeremy Simko, shot in their Ohio home on November 18, 2009.
• First responders find Jeremy dead from a gunshot to the back of the head at close range.
• Initial evidence suggests an intruder: a .357 Magnum on the floor, a knocked-over chair, a purse with cash, black gloves, and unidentified footprints.
• However, inconsistencies arise: no forced entry, a functional security system, and no foreign DNA found in the house.

Unraveling Julene's Account

• Investigators re-interview Julene years later, seeking to clarify details and address inconsistencies in her story.
• Julene recounts canning pumpkins the night before, going to bed, and being woken by a gunshot.
• She claims she grabbed a 9mm from her dresser and fired two warning shots into the hallway before discovering Jeremy and calling 911.
• Her recollection of events, including locking doors and the sequence of discovering her husband, is questioned by investigators.
• The presence of Benadryl in Jeremy's system is explained by his habit of taking sleeping pills.

Suspicious Circumstances and Motives

• The couple was struggling to secure a loan for land, facing financial stress despite Julene's claims of a good relationship.
• Tensions within Jeremy's family are noted, with a sister attempting reconciliation before his death.
• Julene's sale of their shared home and her strained relationship with Jeremy's sister add to the complex family dynamics.
• Investigators discover a 14-page handwritten master-slave father-daughter agreement between Julene and Jeremy, raising questions about consent and potential coercion, especially given Julene's childhood trauma of sexual abuse.
• A neighbor observes Jeremy mistreating Julene and displaying controlling behavior, suggesting a volatile relationship.

The 'Slave Contract' and Investigation's Turning Point

• The discovery of the 'slave contract' and Julene's past trauma with her father becomes a focal point for investigators.
• The document details a submissive role for Julene, leading investigators to question if she killed Jeremy to escape this dynamic.
• A key piece of evidence is an internet search for Julene's father's obituary on the couple's computer just 11 hours before Jeremy's murder.
• The .357 Magnum found at the scene, believed to be the murder weapon, was unusually clean, suggesting it was wiped down.
• Julene's 9mm also lacked blood evidence, despite her claim of touching Jeremy's blood.

Verdict and Sentencing

• Investigators highlight Julene's inconsistent statements, the lack of forced entry, the clean murder weapon, and the suspicious internet search as evidence against her.
• A 911 call analyst identifies multiple markers of guilt in Julene's call, including resistance to answering and conflicting facts.
• A nurse recalls Julene saying, "I shot my husband," which Julene denies.
• In 2017, Julene Simko is found guilty of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence, and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
• Her conviction is upheld on appeal in 2021.