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Two women charged with murder in college student shooting death

Two women are now in custody in Alabama, charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of college student Adam Simjee, who they flagged down on the side of the road Sunday, while on a road trip with his girlfriend Mikayla Paulus. Photo via Adam Simjee/Facebook
1 of 2 | Two women are now in custody in Alabama, charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of college student Adam Simjee, who they flagged down on the side of the road Sunday, while on a road trip with his girlfriend Mikayla Paulus. Photo via Adam Simjee/Facebook

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Two women are now in custody in Alabama, charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of a college student they flagged over on the side of the road, police confirmed.

Adam Simjee, 22, was driving through Talladega National Forest near Cheaha State Park with his girlfriend Mikayla Paulus on Sunday, when they pulled over to help one of the women.

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The woman, identified by police as Yasmine Hider, appeared to be in distress on the service road.

After attempting to help get the car running to no avail, things suddenly changed. Hider allegedly pulled out a gun and demanded the couple hand over their phones and bank and credit cards, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

"At the end when nothing could be done, she pulled out a gun and walked (us) into the woods," Paulus, 20, said in an interview with ABC 3340 Birmingham.

The second woman, later identified as Krystal Pinkins, joined them at that point. Neither woman realized Simjee had been carrying his own weapon.

"Adam had his gun on him the whole time because he said, 'This is how people get robbed.' So I was just waiting on him to use it," Paulus said in the interview.

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"Adam pulled out his gun and told her to get on the ground and that's when she started messing around with her gun. It jammed once but they both shot at each other and she was shot a few times and he was shot only once."

Paulus, who was not injured, retrieved her phone and called 911. She then performed CPR on Simjee, trying to resuscitate him while waiting for authorities to arrive, but was unable to do so.

Hider was also wounded and airlifted to a hospital where she underwent surgery. Police used a dog tracking team and later arrested Pinkins at a makeshift camp in the woods. They later said both women had likely been living "off the grid" for some time.

They also retrieved Pinkins' 5-year-old son, turning him over to child welfare workers

Both women are charged with murder, kidnapping and robbery.

Simjee and Paulus were due to start school together at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The two both lived in Apopka, Fla.

"He literally was like an angel on earth already," Paulus said.

"Everyone who met him loved him. He was always making jokes and being goofy. Him dying a hero to protect me, like that is just so him."

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