YORK COUNTY — Three suspects accused of killing a 20-year-old York man in January were bound over for trial on homicide and robbery charges at a hearing Wednesday morning in York County Court.
Danzanie Gibson, 18, of Seven Valleys, Montrice Gibson, 25, of York, and Tysheem Santiago, 18, no fixed address, are accused in the shooting death of Stefen Simmons on Jan. 7.
All three defendants will be formally arraigned in March, according to the York County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say the suspects conspired to rob and murder Simmons, whose body was found lying in the yard of a Chanceford Township home. Police say the shooting was witnessed by Simmons’ juvenile brother, who they did not identify.
The juvenile told police that Simmons had been released from York County Prison on Saturday. Simmons and his younger brother were looking to celebrate his release, and took pictures of jewelry and currency to post on social media in the hopes that someone would want to hang out with them and celebrate, according to the criminal complaint.
The juvenile said he and his brother eventually got in contact with Montrice Gibson and a female juvenile, later identified as Danzanie Gibson. They arranged to meet later that evening, Simmons’ brother said, and that the Gibsons were going to pick them up outside their home.
The Gibsons did pick up Simmons and his brother, the juvenile told police. Danzanie Gibson was driving the car, while Simmons rode in the passenger seat, the juvenile said. Three others — the juvenile, Gibson, and Gibson’s other brother, Christoper, sat in the back seat, the juvenile told police.
The juvenile told police that after picking them up, Danzanie Gibson drove down the road a short distance, stopped the vehicle, and lowered its windows. At that point, the juvenile said, a black male wearing a mask approached the vehicle on foot, struck Simmons in the head, and demanded money. After demanding money, the juvenile said, the masked man shot Simmons with a handgun, believed to be a revolver, and pulled Simmons from the car, throwing him to the ground.
The masked male then approached the vehicle again and demanded money from the juvenile, who said he had none. The male then entered the car, sat in the front seat, and said something like “If you are not my blood, get out of the car,” the juvenile told police.
The juvenile said he exited the vehicle and went to Simmons to check on his brother’s condition. He knocked on the door of the residence Simmons was lying in front of and asked the occupants to call 911, police said.
After he exited the vehicle, the occupants drove off, the juvenile told police.
Police say they interviewed Christoper Gibson on Monday. Christoper Gibson confirmed that he was in the car along with Montrice Gibson, Danzanie Gibson, and a man he knew as “Tysheem” — later identified as Santiago — when they drove to pick up Simmons and his brother. On the way there, Christoper Gibson told police, they dropped Santiago off before picking up Simmons and his brother.
Once they picked up Simmons and his brother, Christoper Gibson said, they drove to the area where Santiago had been dropped off and stopped the car. Santiago then approached the vehicle, demanded money from Simmons, and produced a handgun. After a brief struggle, Christoper Gibson said, he heard gunshots. Santiago then pulled Simmons from the car, rummaged through his pockets, and took his wallet, later throwing it out the window onto an unknown road after the car had left the scene.
During the struggle with Simmons, Santiago may have accidentally shot himself in the shoulder, Christopher Gibson told police.
After leaving the scene, Christoper Gibson told police, they drove back to Montrice Gibson’s residence on East Poplar Street in York and everyone but him left the vehicle.
Christoper Gibson then drove to his home to get ready for school, then took it to Dallastown High School, where he studies, police say.
On Monday, police say they located a red 2007 Ford Focus at Dallastown High School. Police say the vehicle was not registered to Gibson, but rather to someone in the same household.
Christoper Gibson later identified Santiago from a photo lineup, according to police.
