Talladega, AL — Two women have been sentenced to serve several decades in federal prison for the murder of a 22-year-old Florida college student after they faked car trouble to ambush and rob a couple hiking in Alabama’s Talladega National Forest in the summer of 2022.
Yasmine Marie Adel Hider of Oklahoma was sentenced to 35 years in prison for robbery, second-degree murder, and kidnapping the victim’s girlfriend Mikayla Paulus. Meanwhile, Krystal Diane Pinkins, of Tennessee, received the maximum punishment of life in prison for robbery, murder, and unlawful use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
The incident occurred when Hider faked car trouble to attract the attention of hiking University of Central Florida students Adam Simjee and Mikayla Paulus and then used a gun provided by Pinkins to rob the couple. After the robbery, Simjee and Hider shot at each other, resulting in Simjee’s death and Hider surviving with four gunshot wounds.
Mikayla Paulus quickly identified Hider as the shooter after authorities received a 911 call about the shooting in the woods. The tragic incident left Adam Simjee’s family mourning the loss of their “kind and gentle soul” while hiking — “one of Adam’s favorite pastimes” — before he could complete his senior year at the University of Central Florida.
The events that unfolded were described as a “story from a dystopian nightmare scenario,” as the family and loved ones of Adam Simjee coped with the aftermath of the tragic incident. Hider’s statements following the incident, such as “I didn’t want to hurt anybody” and “I took his whole life away,” revealed the impact of her actions.
The guilty verdicts and subsequent sentencing serve as a reminder of the devastating consequences of the violent and premeditated act committed by the two women in the Talladega National Forest. The community remains in shock and mourning as they grapple with the loss of a promising young life.