Man arrested after allegedly throwing rock, killing another man in Washington

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A man was arrested after he allegedly threw a rock that killed another man in King County, Washington.

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According to court records obtained by KIRO, on September 19 just after 8 p.m., Puget Sound Regional firefighters along with Kent police were called to a Chevron gas station in an area after someone called 911 and said they saw an unconscious man outside of the gas station thinking that he could have possibly overdosed.

When the police and firefighters arrived, they located the man who appeared to be bleeding from his head. He was taken to the hospital and had surgery to treat his injuries, according to KIRO. He was later identified as Joseph Simmons, 33.

A man who identified himself as a friend of Simmons to police said that he had allegedly heard that the victim was hit in the head with a rock during an argument at a Safeway store, according to KIRO. Federal Way police went to the Safeway but saw no signs of assault there.

Another witness police spoke with said that there was a person in the area that threw rocks at people. According to court records obtained by KIRO, that person was identified as Judi Kilma, 57.

Investigators checked surveillance video from the Chevron that showed Simmons arrived at the store with another person. The other person went inside the store, bought some ice and allegedly told the cashier it was for his friend who had been hit in the head with a rock, according to court records obtained by KIRO. That driver fled the area in a black Honda and left Simmons alone.

Days later on September 23, Simmons died from his injuries. Court records obtained by KIRO stated that he never regained consciousness.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Simmons died from an “epidural hematoma, with an accompanying head laceration and skull fracture, consistent with his having been struck by a blunt object,” according to court records obtained by KIRO.

Investigators said that while interviewing Simmons’ friend who drove a Honda Accord, had met Simmons on September 19 outside of Safeway where Simmons and Kilma were arguing, according to court records obtained by KIRO. The friend said Simmons was trying to get Kilma to get away from him. Minutes later, Kilma allegedly threw a rock at Simmons, hitting him in the head. That is when the friend told investigators that he took Simmons to the Chevron for ice.

Surveillance video showed Kilma throwing the rock at Simmons from about 15 feet away, according to KIRO. Kilma was arrested on October 1. He allegedly admitted to investigators to throwing the rock. His bail was set at $250,000.

Kilma has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, according to KIRO.

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