Second murder charge in days for Gary man

A Gary man was charged with his second murder just five days after he was formally accused in a Crown Point Lyft driver’s slaying.

Robert R. Simms III, 33, of the 8600 block of Juniper Terrace, was charged Wednesday with murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, arson and unlawful disposition of a dead human body, according to Lake Superior Court records.

He was implicated in the Sept. 29 death of Nicholas Kowalski, 29, of Park Forest, Illinois.

The last cellphone ping for Kowalski hit on Sept. 30 in the 2300 block of Old Hobart Road in Gary, court records state.

About a week before, Kowalski drove over to Simms’ place, police wrote. Days later, Kowalski, Simms and Isiah Lenburg drove away in Kowalski’s blue van, the affidavit states. Sometime later, Simms returned, dropping Lenburg off, it said.

After Kowalski and Simms took off a second time, Simms returned alone, charges state. The next day, Simms and Lenburg appeared to pull Kowalski’s body out of the van, wrapped in a tarp, then buried the body in the backyard, police wrote.

Court documents say Simms allegedly killed Kowalski while trying to rob him.

Kowalski’s van was taken to Lowell, then set on fire, the affidavit states. Indiana State Police later found it in a cornfield.

Police recovered Kowalski’s body from Simms’ backyard in a shallow grave covered by a small table, the affidavit states. He was shot in the head and torso, according to documents.

A witness later called police to take back earlier information, charges state.

Simms and Lenburg, 24, also of Gary, were charged Oct. 15 in the Sept. 23 death of Lyft driver Glynon “Coach” Nelson, 38, of Crown Point. Lenburg is not charged Kowalski’s case. Both were later arrested.

Nelson was cooperative during an alleged robbery, but Simms “killed him anyway,” according to those charges. His body was found Old Hobart Road and Atchison Drive in Gary, while his SUV was torched in a different part of town, it states.

Police said Simms used the vehicle to commit various robberies in

Chicago, before it was set on fire, according to the affidavit.

Simms has an extensive criminal history in multiple states, including

several robberies, a pending resisting law enforcement charge in Porter County and charges in Floyd County for a Sept. 22 armed robbery at a New Albany, Indiana, Waffle House, according to court documents and

local news reports.