Suspect in series of Muslim killings in Albuquerque faces third murder charge

CHICAGO: A suspect in a series of killings of Muslim men that took place over a period of 10 months in Albuquerque, New Mexico, now faces three murder charges, local police said.Muhammad Syed, 51, was charged on Monday with first degree murder in connection with the death of Naeem Hussain, 25, who was shot and killed on Aug. 5 after attending the funeral of two other alleged victims.Syed had already been charged in connection with the shooting deaths of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1 and Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26. Police said that Syed also remains their “prime suspect” in the killing of Mohammed Amir Ahmadi, 62, on Nov. 7, 2021, and investigations are continuing.”Our homicide detectives continue to work with prosecutors to ensure all victims receive justice in this tragic case,” said Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina. He confirmed that Syed has now been formally charged with first degree murder in three of the four killings, which shocked New Mexico’s Muslim community.Also on Monday, it was revealed that a grand jury has indicted Syed on three counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the three murder charges.According to police, Syed allegedly shot Naeem Hussain as he sat in the driver’s seat of his vehicle in a parking lot. Hussain’s friends told officers he had attended the funerals of Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain earlier that day.Detectives said video-surveillance footage showed a gray Volkswagen Jetta leaving the scene after Hussain was shot. Police released a photo of the vehicle on Aug. 8 and said tips from the public, including members of Albuquerque’s Muslim community, and additional video footage helped them identify it and owner. Syed was arrested on Aug. 9 and charged with the first two murders.Police have not commented on the possible motive for the killings.