Video footage disproved self-defense in case of murdered NKY man, prosecutor says

COVINGTON, Ky. (WXIX) - A piece of surveillance video footage proved decisive in the conviction of an accused murderer in Northern Kentucky last week, according to Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders.

A Kenton County jury last Friday found Ronald Simpson guilty of wanton murder for the death of Randal Helton.

[Prosecutor: NKY man charged in deadly alcohol-fueled fight on New Year’s Eve]

The incident happened on Jan. 1, 2022, at an apartment on Hermes Street in Covington, according to court records.

Sanders says the two men got in a fight though it remains unclear what started it. Investigators believe alcohol was involved. Sanders says Simpson’s girlfriend was involved.

The video shows Simpson throwing Helton against a railing of the apartment building shortly before Helton died, according to Sanders. Helton didn’t die from injuries he sustained in the videos; Sanders says Helton sustained the injuries inside the apartment unit.

Helton is down in the videos but regains consciousness.

“The girlfriend and Ronald Simpson had locked the door, and so he had to go back in through a bedroom window,” Sanders said.

Simpson claimed self-defense.

“He was a liar,” Sanders said. “He would say anything to try and get out of trouble.”

Sanders says the footage disproves the self-defense argument.

“Once you see the videos, it’s obvious that this victim... he was just beaten throughout the course of the night and beaten, repeatedly beaten, brutally. There was no legitimate claim of self-defense,” he said.

Once Helton got back into the apartment, he laid down and died, Sanders says. Investigators don’t know if he passed out from his injuries or fell asleep.

“At no time during the assault, nor when he was suffering from those injuries and literally dying right there in her apartment, did the girlfriend ever call 911,” Sanders said.

It wasn’t until the next day that the woman called police. Sanders says someone tried to clean up the scene before officers arrived.

Investigators found a significant amount of bloody clothing inside the apartment in a trash can, Sanders says.

The jury recommended a sentence of 30 years for Simpson. His final sentencing is scheduled for next month.

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