Rasheen Simpson was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for the murder of Andrew Haynes
According to court documents Rasheen Simpson and accomplices would kidnap Andrew Haynes and bring him to an apartment where they called his family and demanded a ransom. When the family hesitated Andrew Haynes would be shot and killed
Rasheen Simpson would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Rasheen Simpson Photos
Rasheen Simpson Now
Parole Number: 444BI
Age: 49
Date of Birth: 06/06/1974
Race/Ethnicity: BLACK
Height: 5′ 08″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: LIGHT
Current Location: PHOENIX
Permanent Location: PHOENIX
Committing County: PHILADELPHIA
Rasheen Simpson Case
On December 8, 1993, at about 9:00 p.m., Rasheen Simpson along with three co-conspirators, abducted Andrew Haynes (the victim) from somewhere in the vicinity of 18 th and Tioga Streets in North Philadelphia. The kidnappers threw the victim into a waiting van and took him to the apartment of Rasheema Washington (Washington), who was a close friend of Malik Bowers (Bowers), one of Appellant’s co-conspirators.
Washington, who expected nothing other than that Bowers would soon present himself at her apartment, was stunned at the group’s unannounced arrival. She watched the kidnappers throw the victim onto the floor of her apartment, beat him and demand money. In addition, she noticed that the group had tied the victim’s hands behind his back, bound his legs, gagged him and pulled a hat over his face to prevent him from seeing them or his surroundings. Washington further observed Rasheen Simpson and another member of the group, Allistar Durrante (Durrante), enter her bedroom and use the telephone there. After about a half-hour, and at Washington’s insistence, the kidnappers left Washington’s residence, bringing with them the still bound and gagged victim.
Not long after the victim’s disappearance, Rasheen Simpson placed a telephone call to the victim’s apartment, which the victim’s friend, Aloysius Hall (Hall), received. The caller identified himself as the man who had robbed Hall several weeks prior to that evening. Additionally, the caller responded affirmatively when Hall asked him if he was “Rasheed.” The caller, whom Hall now recognized as Appellant, informed Hall that he and his co-conspirators had the victim and that they intended to kill him if they were not paid $20,000.00 within fifteen minutes.
Following this initial conversation, Hall telephoned the house of the victim’s mother and described the details of the ransom call to the victim’s brother, Selvan Haynes (Haynes). Alarmed, Haynes immediately went to his brother’s apartment. Subsequent to arriving at the victim’s apartment, Haynes received a second telephone call placed by the kidnappers about fifteen minutes after the initial call. Again, the group declared that they had the victim and that they intended to kill him if they did not receive $20,000.00 in ransom. Haynes attempted to reason with the caller, pleading that obtaining such a large sum of money in such a short time would be impossible for him. The caller responded by exclaiming that the group was not joking, after which he abruptly hung up the telephone
Before returning to his mother’s house, Haynes arranged to have the incoming telephone calls to the victim’s apartment forwarded to his mother’s house. Shortly after that, Haynes received a forwarded call at his mother’s residence, the third placed by the group. The caller repeated the group’s demands. In response, Haynes offered the kidnappers $3,000.00 in cash and his two vehicles; the kidnappers rejected this offer. The kidnappers called again, and in this instance, they allowed Haynes to speak with the victim. The victim begged his brother to do something to save his life. The group called one final time and repeated their demands; and following that, neither Haynes nor Hall had any further contact with the group.
At about midnight this same evening, officers with the Philadelphia Police Department responded to a report of a dead body found in a vacant lot at 18 th and Somerset Streets, a location in close proximity to both Washington’s residence and the site of the kidnapping. At that location, they discovered the victim’s dead body. His hands were tied behind his back and a hat partially covered his face. The victim had suffered four bullet wounds to the back of his head.
On December 16, 1993, a week after police discovered the victim, Rasheen Simpson, Bowers and Washington, along with two others, traveled to a Montgomery County movie theater. While the group was in the movie theater, a police officer patrolling the parking lot noticed that the vehicle in which the group had been riding did not have a license plate. In searching the car’s dashboard for a vehicle identification number, the officer noticed a gun jutting out from under the front seat of the car. The officer called for backup and three additional officers joined him in his surveillance of the vehicle. When Rasheen Simpson, Bowers, Washington and the others returned and entered the automobile, the officers ordered the group from the car. Ultimately, the Montgomery County authorities arrested Bowers and seized the gun.3 Appellant and the others were permitted to leave
On December 16, 1993, a week after police discovered the victim, Rasheen Simpson, Bowers and Washington, along with two others, traveled to a Montgomery County movie theater. While the group was in the movie theater, a police officer patrolling the parking lot noticed that the vehicle in which the group had been riding did not have a license plate. In searching the car’s dashboard for a vehicle identification number, the officer noticed a gun jutting out from under the front seat of the car. The officer called for backup and three additional officers joined him in his surveillance of the vehicle. When Rasheen Simpson, Bowers, Washington and the others returned and entered the automobile, the officers ordered the group from the car. Ultimately, the Montgomery County authorities arrested Bowers and seized the gun.3 Appellant and the others were permitted to leave.
In an interview with Philadelphia police in June of 1996, Washington divulged the details surrounding the kidnapper’s arrival at her apartment and the group’s actions during this time period. Based in large part on Washington’s interview, coupled with the earlier statements given to police by Haynes and Hall after the discovery of the victim’s body, the police arrested Appellant in July of 1996 for his participation in the crime. The authorities charged Appellant with, inter alia, murder of the first degree, kidnapping,4 robbery,5 conspiracy 6 and possessing an instrument of crime
On December 17, 1997, a jury found Appellant guilty of first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and possessing an instrument of crime.
