Hawai‘i Police Department
Criminal Investigation Section – Area I
Lieutenant Rio Amon-Wilkins
Phone: (808) 961-2252
Report No. B-21448
Media Release
On Wednesday afternoon, June 22, 2022, a Big Island grand jury indicted 72-year-old Steven Ray Simpson with second-degree murder.
The indictment stems from an incident reported on April 23, 1978, where the body of 26-year-old Valerie Ann Warshay was discovered deceased at the Harry K. Brown Park in Kalapana. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
At the time of her death, Ms. Warshay was visiting from California and had been on the island for a few weeks.
On Thursday afternoon, June 23, 2022, with the assistance of the Department of Public Safety in Honolulu, Simpson was arrested on the indictment warrant. He remains incarcerated at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in Honolulu, where he is currently serving time for an unrelated offense.
Simpson’s bail has been set at $250,000 for Warshay’s murder. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Friday, June 24, 2022, in Hilo Circuit Court.
Police ask that anyone who may have encountered Ms. Warshay during her stay on island, or who may have information about her death, to contact Detective Derek Morimoto of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2380 or via email at Derek.Morimoto@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the police department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.
