Philly organizer for the Working Families Party killed girlfriend in jealous rage, prosecutors say

In a fit of jealous anger, Sergio Hyland, a former criminal justice organizer for Pennsylvania’s Working Families Party, shot his girlfriend in the back of the head and left her body underneath an overpass in North Philadelphia last July, prosecutors said.

Two hours before Jasimane Ransom’s murder, another man who said he was romantically involved with the 30-year-old victim texted Hyland to let him know he and Ransom had had sex the day before, a police detective testified Tuesday at a preliminary hearing.

This enraged Hyland and led him to kill Ransom, Assistant District Attorney Josh Meyers said.

“This is a personal crime,” Myers said. “Probably of anger. Probably of jealousy.”

During a nearly two-hour hearing, Myers laid out evidence including testimony from the last person to speak to Ransom, cell phone records and surveillance footage he said showed Hyland near the scene, and recorded phone calls where Hyland mentions possibly going back to prison.

The evidence, he said, demonstrated Hyland, 43, killed Ransom in the early morning of July 11, 2024.

Hyland’s attorney Shaka Johnson saw the evidence as wholly circumstantial and said prosecutors had not proven any sort of tension between Hyland and Ransom.

“I didn’t hear any conflict between Mr. Hyland and Ransom,” Johnson said in court, with Hyland seated next to him.

Hyland previously served more than 20 years in prison in two unrelated cases, one the 2001 murder of a 15-year-old.

In recorded phone calls to Hyland from incarcerated men at two Pennsylvania prisons that were played at Tuesday’s hearing, Hyland can be heard speaking about possibly going back to prison and hiring Johnson for a case.

“It’s possible that I’m on my way in,” Hyland says to one of the men who called him.

Municipal Court Judge David Shuter held Hyland on all charges, including murder, illegal gun possession, and related crimes, allowing his case to head to trial. He is being held at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility without bail.

Police had been investigating Ransom’s death for months after she was found shot to death on the 1200 block of West Cumberland Street.

Police spoke to Diamond Slowley, one of Ransom’s best friends and the last person to talk to Ransom before she was killed. She told them of Hyland, who Ransom had said was her boyfriend, Detective Naiemah Harrison said Tuesday.

Investigators executed a search warrant at Hyland’s home on the 900 block of East Woodlawn Street and recovered three rifles, two handguns, and multiple rounds of ammunition inside, Harrison said.

Hyland was released on parole in February 2022 for the two previous crimes, police said.

He pleaded guilty in 2004 to the March 2001 killing of 15-year-old Ajene Bright, a Germantown student who was shot in the chest while walking home.

He was also charged in connection with the July 2002 death of Bryan Vertreace, police said. It was not clear what Hyland’s role in the case was, but court records show he was convicted of criminal mischief, theft, and receiving stolen property.

Shortly after his release, Hyland became a local organizer and would make appearances at news conferences about criminal and social justice issues with members of City Council.

He has described himself as the “Hood abolitionist” and a criminal justice consultant on his website, and offered guidance on harm and violence de-escalation tactics.

Eight days before Hyland’s arrest on April 17, the Working Families Party issued a joint news release from Hyland and District Attorney Larry Krasner, announcing its endorsement of Krasner in his campaign for a third term as district attorney.

Johnson said prosecutors had looked at Hyland as a suspect because of his past convictions.

“I think they went for the low-hanging fruit,” Johnson said after the hearing. “There’s no question that Mr. Hyland is a returning citizen from a previous incarceration who has amended his behavior tremendously and turned his life around. But he also makes for a primary suspect in things like this.”

Hyland is scheduled for an arraignment next month.