Man Found Guilty of Murder in Albuquerque Killing Spree

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Albuquerque murder trial verdict
2. Muslim men killing suspect convicted

A man has been found guilty of murder in one of three killings that shocked the Muslim community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the summer of 2022. Muhammad Syed, 53, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Aftab Hussein, 41, and faces life in prison. The motive behind the murders remains unclear, with prosecutors stating it could be a case of a serial killer. The victims were ambushed with no warning, raising fears nationwide. Syed was also linked to the murder of another Muslim man in 2021. His arrest stunned the Muslim community in Albuquerque, prompting increased security measures.

Man Found Guilty of Murder in Albuquerque, New Mexico

A man was found guilty on Monday of murder in one of the three killings that sent shockwaves through the Muslim community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the summer of 2022.

Muhammad Syed, 53, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Aftab Hussein, 41, according to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office. Syed now faces a sentence of life in prison and will also stand separate trials for the slayings of two other victims, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Naeem Hussain, 25.

Syed was accused of fatally shooting three Muslim men in Albuquerque in 2022 and was also identified as the suspect in the murder of another Muslim man in 2021. No charges have been filed in that case.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before reaching the guilty verdict, according to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office. Prosecutors on Monday expressed satisfaction with the verdict but admitted that the motive behind the murders remained unclear.

Motive Behind the Murders Unclear

Despite a week-long trial, testimony, and court filings did not shed light on a possible motive or provide details on any interactions that Syed might have had with Hussein before the July 2022 shooting.

Deputy District Attorney David Waymire stated outside the courthouse, “We were not able to uncover anything that we would indicate would be a motive that would explain this. As best we can tell, this could be a case of a serial killer where there’s a motive known only to them and not something that we can really understand.”

Defense attorneys have announced that Syed’s conviction will be appealed after the two other trials are complete.

Victims Ambushed ‘with no warning’

A series of killings during the summer of 2022 rattled Albuquerque’s Muslim community and sparked fears nationwide as communities questioned whether the attacks were motivated by racial or religious hate.

On July 26, authorities reported that Hussein was ambushed with an assault rifle as he exited his vehicle near his home in northeast Albuquerque. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain was found on Aug. 1, having been shot while taking his evening walk. Four days later, Naeem Hussain was gunned down while sitting in his vehicle outside a refugee resettlement agency in south Albuquerque.

Further investigation linked Syed to the death of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, who was killed on Nov. 7, 2021. Ahmadi was killed outside of a business he and his brother ran, according to Albuquerque police.

Syed was detained more than 100 miles from Albuquerque on Aug. 9, 2022, and had denied involvement in the murders, citing concerns over the killings in Albuquerque. Originally from Afghanistan, Syed had been living in the United States for several years and had a history of minor misdemeanor arrests, including for domestic violence.

Shock Among the Muslim Community

As authorities search for a possible motive in the killings, prosecutors emphasized to jurors that the attacks were “willful and very deliberate” actions against members of the Muslim community.

During the investigation, police received over 200 tips, including one that led them to the Syed family. The tip alleged that Syed knew the victims and that “an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings.”

Syed’s arrest stunned Albuquerque’s Muslim community, prompting city authorities to enhance security measures and increase police presence at mosques and Muslim-affiliated schools during the search for Syed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man accused of killing Muslim men in New Mexico found guilty of murder