In the summer of 2019, the life of 17-year-old Nye’tazia Hicks was tragically cut short in Portsmouth, Virginia. A mother to a six-month-old baby boy, her body was discovered in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery on the night of July 27th. She had sustained a gunshot wound to her upper body, a stark and brutal end to a young life. The initial discovery was unsettling for the community, as neighbors near the cemetery reported seeing her body but had not heard any gunshots, suggesting a more complex and disturbing sequence of events.
As the Portsmouth Police delved into the investigation, a grim narrative began to unfold. They soon determined that Nye’tazia had not been killed in the cemetery but at a different location entirely. Their investigation led them to the Charlestowne Condominium complex, where they believe the fatal shooting occurred inside one of the homes. It is believed that after she was shot, her body was transported less than three miles away and left in the cemetery. This calculated act to move her body added a chilling layer to the senseless violence of her death.
The investigation eventually led to two arrests, revealing a story of a babysitting arrangement gone horribly wrong. According to court documents, Nye’tazia had gone to the home of 27-year-old Simone Worrell, who had allegedly agreed to pay her $200 to look after her children. Also present in the home was a 14-year-old boy. It was this teenager who was ultimately charged with felony murder in connection with Nye’tazia's death. Worrell was also arrested and faced a felony and two misdemeanors for her alleged role in the disposal of Nye’tazia’s body.
The teenage suspect reportedly gave conflicting accounts of the shooting to the police. Initially, he claimed he had given the gun to Nye’tazia to hold and it accidentally discharged. He later changed his story, stating that the gun went off as he struggled to take it from her. However, investigators found that the forensic evidence did not support his version of events. Court documents also revealed that the boy claimed he tried to stop the bleeding and call for help, but Worrell allegedly prevented the 911 call, stating she was a felon. It was further alleged that Worrell and her boyfriend moved Nye’tazia’s body to the cemetery. The initial 911 call that led police to discover her body was reportedly made by Worrell's father, after she had told him to send police to that location.
