US Shocker: Man Beheads Tech CEO After Stealing USD 4,00,000 From Him To Hide Theft From Girlfriend
The accused, identified as Tyrese Haspil, killed his boss, Fahim Saleh, after stealing USD 4,00,000 to hide his theft from his girlfriend and avoid a possible break-up.
New York, May 25: In a shocking incident, a personal assistant to a tech entrepreneur has claimed that he beheaded his employer in a "crime of passion," as stated by his defence attorney. The accused, identified as Tyrese Haspil, killed his boss, Fahim Saleh, after stealing USD 4,00,000 to hide his theft from his girlfriend and avoid a possible break-up.
According to the New York Post report, the gruesome discovery of Saleh's decapitated and dismembered body was made by his cousin in the entrepreneur's upscale Manhattan condominium. Initially, Haspil was arrested for owing Saleh a substantial sum of money. Recent revelations have surfaced that Haspil had embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Saleh. Fearing that his theft would be uncovered by his girlfriend, Marine Chaveuz, and lead to their separation, Haspil's defence team argued that he resorted to murder to maintain secrecy. US Shocker: Man Sets Himself on Fire Outside Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York During Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial (Watch Video).
'Suicide or Homicide'
On May 24, at the Manhattan Supreme Court, defence lawyer Sam Roberts presented the case that Haspel was driven by "extreme emotional disturbance" when he murdered Saleh. Prosecutors allege that Haspil faced a dire choice between "suicide or homicide" after stealing nearly USD 4,00,000 and opted for the latter.
What Led to The Brutal Killing?
Saleh, of Bangladeshi descent, had confronted Haspil in January 2020 regarding USD 90,000 missing from a corporate account, which was later traced back to Haspil. Despite this, Saleh offered Haspil a chance to repay the stolen funds through a payment plan instead of pressing charges. However, Haspil continued his fraudulent activities, siphoning money from Saleh's company via a PayPal account. Upon being discovered again, Haspil feared prosecution and meticulously planned the murder, according to the prosecution's narrative. US Shocker: Teacher Who Appeared on Good Morning America TV Show Jailed for Having Sex With Teenager in Arkansas.
Prosecutors provided a detailed account of the murder, stating that Haspil, masked and armed with a taser, incapacitated Saleh before fatally stabbing him. The following day, he dismembered Saleh's body, including severing the head. Despite his attempts to clean the crime scene, Haspil failed to remove an "anti-felon disk" identification tag, which was linked to a taser he had ordered to his Brooklyn address a month before the murder.
Saleh's cousin stumbled upon the horrific scene, finding his torso and construction bags in the living room after not hearing from him for several days. In a curious development, despite orchestrating the murder allegedly to avoid a breakup, Haspil was seen with an unidentified woman shortly after the crime.
Haspil has entered a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder charges. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment. Sam Roberts, representing Haspil, highlighted his client's troubled past, marked by a childhood of abuse at the hands of his schizophrenic mother, which he argues contributed to the tragic incident.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2024 06:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).