Florida Man Arrested for Murder of Girlfriend in Staged Suicide

Gregory Shinn, a 48-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, wasarrested on April 30, 2024, and charged with the first-degree premeditated murder of his girlfriend, 59-year-old Katrin Mari Simpson. Simpson's death, which occurred on February 20, was initially reported as a suicide but later determined to be a homicide following inconsistent injuries discovered during the investigation.

Why this matters: This case highlights the importance of thorough investigations and the need to recognize the signs of domestic violence, which can often be hidden from public view. This case highlights the importance of thorough investigations and the need to recognize the signs of domestic violence, which can often be hidden from public view. It also emphasizes the devastating consequences of intimate partner violence, which affects millions of people worldwide.

On the night of February 20, Shinn called authorities at 11:27 p.m., claiming to have found Simpson's body article hanging in their garage. He told officers that Simpson had taken her own life. However, as detectives delved deeper into the case, they uncovered a history of domestic violence between the couple and inconsistencies in Shinn's statements.

The Medical Examiner's report revealed that Simpson's injuries did not align with Shinn's account of her alleged suicide. The autopsy found a hemorrhage on the bottom of her brain, cuts on her face, multiple rib fractures, and other injuries inconsistent withhanging. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, with contributing factors of blunt force trauma and multi-drug toxicity.

During the investigation, detectives discovered DNA evidence linking Shinn to the crime scene. The DNA, taken from a wire tied to a beam from which Simpson was found death, woman, hanging, partner, arrested, matched Shinn's profile. This evidence, along with the inconsistencies in Shinn's statements and the couple's history of domestic violence, led to his arrest on April 30.

Friends and neighbors of Simpson expressed a mix of disbelief and relief upon learning of Shinn's article arrest. Johanna Monighan, a close friend of Simpson, shared her thoughts: "I just couldn't believe it, and I'm still sort of in denial... It's something that we had waited for so long that it just has to sink in." Stacey McKnight, Simpson's friend of more than two decades and neighbor, added, "Kat loved life and she loved everybody... She always talked about living, and so we knew that it was definitely not that."

McKnight also recalled a previous incident of domestic violence, stating,"She had run from him because he had tried to, at that time, put an orange extension cord around her neck... and she was able to get away and she came and she stayed the night with me. "This revelation highlights the tragic reality of the abusive relationship between Shinn and Simpson."

Simpson, a veteran known for her kind and compassionate nature, was always ready to help anyone in need. Her friends have a message for those who may find themselves in a similar situation: "Reach out to someone that they trust or even the police, arrest, hanging and to try to make sure that they can get away ... Don't stay. Don't stay in that type of environment. It is toxic. It's very harmful," McKnight urged.

Gregory Shinn was denied bond by a judge on Wednesday and remains in custody. The case progresses, the community mourns the loss of Katrin Simpson and reflects on the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, a woman, hanging. Kat just had that love and that compassion, that beautiful spirit about herself that she shared,"McKnight remembered, a moving tribute to the lasting impact Simpson left on those who knew her.

Key Takeaways

• Gregory Shinn arrested for 1st-degree murder of girlfriend Katrin Simpson, 59, in St. Petersburg, FL.
• Simpson's death initially reported as suicide, but investigation revealed homicide due to inconsistent injuries.
• Autopsy found strangulation, blunt force trauma, and multi-drug toxicity as causes of death.
• DNA evidence and history of domestic violence led to Shinn's arrest on April 30, 2024.
• Friends and neighbors express shock and relief, remembering Simpson as kind and compassionate.