ROCKFORD, IL – A life sentence was handed down Friday to Brandon Simonson, 41, of Moorhead, Minnesota, for the calculated and brutal murder of fellow inmate Matthew Phillips at Thomson Penitentiary. The killing, a jury found, was fueled by antisemitism and a desperate bid for acceptance within a violent white supremacist gang.
On March 2, 2020, Simonson and co-defendant Kristopher Martin, 43, of Brazil, Indiana, launched a vicious assault on Phillips, targeting him solely because he was Jewish. Court records show the pair conspired to beat Phillips as part of an initiation rite for the Valhalla Bound Skinheads, a prison gang steeped in antisemitic ideology. The attack wasn’t a spontaneous brawl; it was a premeditated act of hate.
The details of the assault are grim. Simonson repeatedly punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, even after the victim was rendered unconscious and unable to defend himself. Phillips lingered for three days before succumbing to his injuries. The brutality of the attack shocked even hardened corrections officers. Simonson was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, a hate crime, and assault following a trial in U.S. District Court in Rockford earlier this year.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston delivered the life sentence Friday, bringing a measure of justice for Phillips’ family and sending a clear message that such violence will not be tolerated. Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, stated plainly: “Antisemitic violence has no place in our society…Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable and will not be tolerated anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”
While Simonson is now facing a lifetime behind bars, his accomplice, Kristopher Martin, has already pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing on October 9, 2025. Lucas Rothaar, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, emphasized the ongoing commitment of law enforcement to rooting out extremism even within the prison walls: “The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those who compromise the safety or lives of others accountable, even those serving sentences in prison.”
The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald prosecuted the case. This case serves as a stark reminder that hate doesn’t just exist on the streets – it can fester and erupt even within the confines of the federal prison system, demanding constant vigilance and a swift, uncompromising response from law enforcement.
RELATED: Simonsson Gets Life for Hate-Fueled Prison Murder
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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