'I just set my sister on fire:' Jury convicts man in death of Shakira Hicks, who had cerebral palsy
Nasif Hibbler
MILWAUKEE -- A jury has convicted a man accused of killing his own sister -- setting her body on fire.
It happened on June 3, 2017 at a home near Palmer and Concordia. Afterwards, prosecutors say Nasif Hibbler, 32, walked into the Milwaukee Police Department and said "I just set my sister on fire."
Surveillance video shows Hibbler at the MPD station, saying: "I need to be arrested. I set my sister on fire. I just blacked out. No, I didn't mean (for her to die.) I thought maybe she'd burn, but I thought somebody, I heard somebody coming from the stairs, so I thought maybe they would have helped her put the fire out."
A jury on Tuesday, Aug. 7 convicted Hibbler on one count of first degree intentional homicide.
The case now moves on to Phase 2 -- where the jury must determine whether Hibbler was insane at the time. On Tuesday afternoon, a psychologist for the defense told the jury she believes Hibbler couldn't conform his behavior to the law. The prosecution will have its own expert testify on Wednesday. The jury will decide whether Hibbler goes to prison or a mental institution.
Nasif Hibbler
He told police he got his monthly shot of an anti-psychotic medication the day before, and he was hearing voices.
"He was hoping the voices would stop telling him to do things," said Luke O'Day, MPD detective.
As officers approached the home last June, prosecutors say they could hear beeping from a smoke alarm, and they could smell something burning. When officers pushed the door open, smoke began coming out of the lower unit, where a fire was burning.
Shakira Hicks, who used a wheelchair because she had cerebral palsy, was found lying on the floor in a fetal position just inside the doorway leading into the front room. Hicks was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy was performed, and her death was ruled a homicide.
The charred remains of a wheelchair were found at the scene.
Shakira Hicks
According to the criminal complaint, investigators found a bottle of isopropyl alcohol under a couch at the scene.
Investigators determined Hicks was the "point of origin" for this fire, and the fire was determined to be arson.
The complaint states Hibbler confessed to killing his sister, stating to investigators: "I know I (expletive) up." According to prosecutors, Hibbler said he was able to "talk with other people's brains" -- including his family, correctional officers and famous rappers, and said "people's voices began to talk to him, telling him he better do something or they were going to kill him." He said "famous rappers were trying to sexually assault him through the couch."
Fatal fire at Palmer and Concordia
According to investigators, Hibbler said he "grabbed a full bottle of rubbing alcohol" and "wanted to see that if he showed he was willing to use the rubbing alcohol, the people would stop talking to him."
Shakira Hicks
Eventually, Hibbler said he "got angry," grabbed the alcohol and squeezed the bottle, causing it to fall onto his sister. He said he then used a lighter to set her on fire -- before running to the police station.