Annatassia Celethia Keise, a 23-year-old Black female, found her life tragically cut short in the early morning hours of July 21, 2012, in Manchester, Connecticut. The events that led to her untimely death unfolded at the Vintage at the Grove Apartments, where a domestic dispute escalated into a fatal encounter. Keise, a resident of South Windsor, was visiting her 23-year-old boyfriend, Steve Simpson, at his apartment on Falls View Road.
An argument that had started the previous day between the couple resurfaced after Simpson returned from the West Indian Club in Hartford.
In the midst of their heated disagreement, Simpson brandished a Glock handgun. Keise urged him to put the weapon away and pushed him, at which point the gun discharged, striking her in the torso. The single gunshot wound proved to be fatal. Shortly after, at approximately 3:46 a.m., police responded to the apartment complex to find a harrowing scene. Keise was discovered lying in a pool of blood in the parking lot, with several people around her, one of whom was attempting to perform CPR.
In the same parking lot, officers found a distraught Steve Simpson, who was crying hysterically and immediately confessed to the shooting, exclaiming, "I shot her. Oh god I shot her." He was taken into custody without incident. Inside Simpson's apartment, investigators located the handgun on the bed and a trail of blood leading to the parking lot. They also discovered a significant quantity of marijuana and cash, which led to additional drug-related charges. Keise was rushed to Hartford Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Steve Simpson was initially charged with murder and held on a $2.5 million bond. His case proceeded to trial, but a Hartford jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. Subsequently, in November 2014, Simpson accepted a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. In January 2015, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison, suspended after 20 years served, followed by a period of probation. Despite Simpson's apology in court, Annatassia Keise's family expressed their belief that the sentence was not sufficient for the loss of their loved one.
