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00:04A FATAL FALL FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW OF A DETROIT MANSION
00:09I START SCREAMING AND I RUN TO MY BROTHER'S ROOM
00:18A DEVOTED MOM'S LIFE CUT SHORT
00:21BASEL ARRIVES, SEES HIS ESTRANGED WIFE DEAD AND HE DROPS IN SHOCK
00:26WAS IT SIMPLY JUST TRAGIC MISFORTUNE?
00:30THIS WAS AN EQUAL FALL? YEAH, I'M PRETTY SURE
00:34THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION DID FIND FRACTURES CONSISTENT WITH A FALL OF THIS KIND
00:38OR MURDER
00:40SOMEBODY WAS THERE, WE KNOW THAT, IT'S UNDATED
00:42I MEAN, IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOM WITH THEIR, THEY JUST SAY YOU'RE IN THE ROOM WITH THEIR
00:45TO MY MOM AND THE WIFE, MAN
01:11NADA HARANIA MOVED HERE TO MICHIGAN FROM SYRIA IN THE MIDDLE EAST
01:15HER HUSIN BASEL ALTON TOWIE WAS A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND SET UP A PRACTICE HERE IN METRO DETROIT
01:22NADA AND BASEL HAD COME TO THE UNITED STATES FROM SYRIA
01:27THEY WERE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN IN FARMINGTON HILLS, WHICH IS A VERY NICE SUBURB OF DETROIT
01:32THEY WERE DEVOUT MUSLIMS, THEY WERE MEMBERS OF A LOCAL MOSQUE
01:36AND THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN
01:37THEIR SON, MOHAMMAD, AND TWO DAUGHTERS, INCLUDING AYA
01:43MY NAME IS AYA ALTON TOWIE, MY MOM WAS A VERY, VERY KIND PERSON, SHE PUT EVERYBODY BEFORE HER
01:51AND SHE LOVED US, SHE LOVED HER KIDS
01:54SHE AND I, WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP, WE BONDED OVER MAKEUP, SHE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD AT IT
02:01SHE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE GYM, ABOUT WORKING OUT, JUST FEELING LIKE THE BEST VERSION OF HERSELF
02:09SUCH WAS NADA'S LOVE OF FITNESS THAT SHE EVENTUALLY TURNED HER PASSION INTO A CAREER
02:15WORKING AS A PERSONAL TRAINER AT HER LOCAL GYM IN FARMINGTON HILLS
02:19SHE WAS BECOMING MORE INDEPENDENT, SHE WAS ACTUALLY LIVING HER LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME
02:26SHE AND I WOULD GO TO THE GYM, I WOULD DO MY SESSION, SHE WOULD BE WORKING OUT
02:30OR SHE WOULD BE TEACHING HER OWN CLIENTS
02:31AND THEN WE'D WORK OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT AT THE END AND THEN WE'D GO HOME
02:36NADA EMBRACED THE SENSE OF FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE THAT HER NEW CAREER GAVE HER
02:42BUT HER HUSBAND BASEL WASN'T SO SUPPORTIVE
02:46HE DIDN'T LIKE IT, HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HER TO BE INDEPENDENT
02:51HE THOUGHT THAT HIS ROLE FOR THE FAMILY WAS TO BE THE PROVIDER
02:56SO THERE WAS NO NEED FOR HER TO BE INDEPENDENT BECAUSE WE ALL WERE RELIANT ON HIM
03:00AND HE WAS THERE TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE NEEDED SO HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT
03:03HE WANTED I THINK US TO BE JUST LOST WITHOUT HIM
03:08MY DAD WAS VERY OLD SCHOOL IN HIS THINKING TO PUT IT NICELY
03:13SO MY MOM WANTING TO GET A JOB TO WORK AT THE GYM TO LIVE HER LIFE
03:17TO HIM WAS SHE'S BECOMING AMERICANIZED AND HE DIDN'T WANT THAT
03:22THERE BECAME TURMOIL IN THEIR MARRIAGE BASED ON NADA'S DESIRE TO BECOME MORE WESTERNIZED
03:29AND BASEL'S DESIRE TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL WIFE WITHIN THEIR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
03:36HE DID SAY THAT ONCE SHE REMOVED THE HIJAB THAT SHE WASN'T REALLY A PERSON ANYMORE
03:43HE DIDN'T CONSIDER HER TO BE A PERSON AND THAT THAT WAS THE PART THAT REALLY DISTURBED ME
03:49THEY WOULD HAVE ARGUMENTS BUT AT FIRST IT WAS ALWAYS DON'T TALK ABOUT IT AROUND THE KIDS
03:54WAIT UNTIL THE KIDS ARE GONE BUT EVENTUALLY THAT PRETENSE DROPPED
03:57AND IT WAS JUST ALL OUT IN THE OPEN CONSTANT YELLING AND SCREAMING FOR MY DAD TOWARDS MY MOM
04:03HE WAS BECOMING VIOLENT UNCONTROLLABLE IN HIS FITS OF ANGER AND HE WANTED TO PUT US IN A LITTLE BOX
04:11AND HIDE US AWAY AND LOCK THE KEY
04:15HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS USED TO BEING IN CONTROL AND THAT INCLUDED IN HIS TRADITION
04:22BEING IN CONTROL OF HIS WIFE AND HE WAS LOSING THAT CONTROL AND IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO HIM
04:30IN EARLY 2016 BASEL AND NADA'S VOLATILE RELATIONSHIP ESCALATED TO WHOLE NEW LEVELS
04:37AROUND VALENTINE'S DAY I REMEMBER I WOKE UP TO HEARING THEM SCREAMING AND ARGUING
04:43AND I OPENED MY DOOR AND I WENT TO THE RAILING TO LOOK DOWN TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON
04:50AND MY DAD WAS HOLDING MY MOM'S PHONE AND HE WAS LIKE WALKING AROUND THE HOUSE
04:54TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HER AND LIKE HE WOULDN'T GIVE HER PHONE BACK
04:58AND HE WENT TO THEIR BEDROOM AND HE WAS STANDING BEHIND THE DOOR
05:03AND MY MOM PUT HER HAND IN THE DOOR TO TRY TO PIE IT OPEN AND MY DAD SLAMMED IT
05:08SHUT ON HER HAND
05:12EVENTUALLY I CALLED THE POLICE AND THEY ARRESTED HIM
05:15THEY TOOK HIM TO POLICE STATION
05:18THEY PUT A TETHER ON HIM AN INCLE MONITOR SO HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO COME BACK TO THE HOUSE UNDER
05:22ANY CIRCUMSTANCE
05:23BASIL WOULD EVENTUALLY BE CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
05:27HE WOULD PLEAD NO CONTEST
05:29BUT IT WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THEIR MARRIAGE
05:34BASIL WAS ALSO ISSUED WITH A PROTECTIVE ORDER
05:37BANNING HIM FROM THE FAMILY HOME
05:39SHORTLY AFTER HIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE
05:42NADA STARTED DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS
05:45WHILE Juggling HER CAREER ALONGSIDE PARENTING THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AS A SINGLE MOM
05:50THIS DIVORCE BETWEEN BASIL AND NADA WAS DEFINITELY WHAT I WOULD CALL A HIGH CONFLICT DIVORCE
05:58THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTENTION
06:00I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NADA'S GENERAL SAFETY
06:04BUT THERE WAS A COURT ORDER IN PLACE THAT PROTECTED HER
06:08A LOT OF TIMES NOBODY KNEW WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH
06:09BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HER ISSUES
06:12SHE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS BOTHERING THE PEOPLE THAT SHE LOVED
06:14SO THAT SHE CAN TRY TO HELP THEM
06:17MOST OF THE TIME WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS OF WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH
06:24APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS AFTER THE INCIDENT BETWEEN BASIL AND NADA
06:28ON THE MORNING OF MONDAY AUGUST 21ST 2017
06:3414-YEAR-OLD AYA WAS PREPARING FOR HER USUAL SCHOOL DAY
06:39IT WAS THE SECOND WEEK OF MY SOPHOMER YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
06:42I WAS EXCITED BUT THAT DAY I WOKE UP LATE
06:47NORMALLY MY MOM WOULD ALREADY BE AWAKE
06:49SHE WOULD HAVE HAD HER COFFEE OR WHATEVER
06:52I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING MY BROTHER'S SHOWER ON
06:56BUT NOBODY ELSE WAS AWAKE IN THE HOUSE
06:59SO I THOUGHT OKAY LET ME GET READY
07:01AND THEN I'LL SEE WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE IS AT
07:04I FINISHED GETTING READY AND I SAT ON MY BED
07:06AND I WAS LIKE OKAY THIS IS REALLY STRANGE
07:08IT'S LIKE 6.15-ISH NOBODY ELSE SEEMS TO BE AWAKE
07:11WE'RE GONNA BE LATE SO I CALLED MY MOM
07:13OR DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE SO I WAS LIKE OKAY
07:15I'M GONNA GO FIND HER AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON
07:20I WENT TO THE GUEST BEDROOM
07:22THAT WAS WHERE SHE WOULD DO HER MAKEUP EVERY MORNING
07:25THE WINDOW WAS OPEN
07:27AND I THOUGHT MAYBE JUST IN CASE LET ME GO LOOK OUT THERE
07:30THE GUEST BEDROOM WAS TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE HOUSE
07:33IT WAS TWO FLOORS UP AND LOOKED OUT OVER A CONCRETE PATIO
07:37WHICH WAS 22 FEET DOWN
07:40INSIDE THAT GUEST BEDROOM A STEP LADDER
07:42A BOTTLED CLEANING SOLUTION ON TOP OF IT
07:45NEXT TO IT A BUCKET OF WATER
07:47ALL RIGHT NEXT TO THAT OPEN WINDOW
07:50WHEN AYA LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW
07:52TWO FLOORS BELOW SHE SAW THE LIFELESS BODY OF HER MOTHER NADA
07:56ON THE PATIO FACE UP
07:58STILL DRESSED IN HER PAJAMAS
08:02I START SCREAMING AND I RUN TO MY BROTHER'S ROOM
08:08I OPENED HIS DOOR
08:09AND I SAID OUR MOM'S OUTSIDE
08:12OUR MOM'S OUTSIDE
08:13HE'S LIKE WHAT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
08:15I THINK HE WAS FALLING BEHIND ME AT THIS POINT
08:17AND I WAS I WAS RUNNING OUT OF THE GARAGE
08:19TO GO AROUND THE HOUSE
08:20AND I JUST I WAS TELLING HIM
08:22COME ON LIKE WE HAVE TO GO
08:23OUR MOM'S OUTSIDE
08:26DESPITE HOW DISTRESSING THIS WAS
08:28AYA JUST SEEING HER MOTHER
08:30SHE WAS ABLE TO GET HER BROTHER
08:32TO COME DOWN TO THE PATIO
08:33WHERE HER MOTHER WAS
08:34AND SHE CALLED 9-1-1
08:399-1-1
09:05IAN AND MEWS
09:07DO YOU REMEMBER TO SEE BREATHING?
09:10HER NECK WAS THE TITER ON HER NECK
09:12I DON'T KNOW
09:12THIS WAS AN ACCIDENTAL FALL?
09:15YEAH I'M PRETTY SURE
09:17AYA GAVE HER BROTHER MOHAMMAD THE PHONE
09:20AT THIS POINT
09:20HE THEN STARTED FOLLOWING THE DISPATCH'S INSTRUCTIONS
09:23TO GIVE CPR TO HIS MOM
09:25OKAY I'M GONNA TELL YOU HOW TO DO IT OKAY
09:30ONE
09:30TWO
09:31THREE
09:31FOUR
09:32ONE
09:32TWO
09:33THREE
09:34FOUR
09:34ONE
09:35THREE
09:35FOUR
09:35ONE
09:36TWO
09:36THREE
09:37FOUR
09:38ONE
09:38TWO
09:39THREE
09:40FOUR
09:46AT AROUND 6.40 AM
09:49AS MUHAMMAD WAS PERFORMING CPR ON HIS MOM
09:52THE POLICE ARRIVED
09:54AYA DIRECTED THE OFFICERS AS THEY ARRIVED
09:57WHILE THE 9-1-1 OPERATORS PROBED MOHAMMAD
10:00ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED
10:02SO WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MOM THERE?
10:05LOOKED RIGHT SHE FELL OFF THE BUILDING
10:06HOW DID SHE FELL?
10:09I DIDN'T GO TO THE ROOM
10:10I JUST SCREAMED
10:13I COULDN'T LOOK
10:15DO YOU KNOW HOW SHE FELL OR WHAT SHE WAS DOING?
10:18YEAH SHE WAS ON THE FLOOR
10:20SHE WAS WASHING HER FRIEND IN THE WINDOW
10:21SHE WAS CLEANING THE WINDOW?
10:23YEAH
10:25OFFICER NATHAN JORDAN WAS THE FIRST ONE TO ARRIVE ON THE SCENE
10:28HE CHECKED NADA
10:30SHE WAS STILL WARM TO THE TOUCH
10:33BUT SHE WOULD LATER BE DECLARED DEAD ON THE SCENE
10:42AFTER MOTHER OF THREE NADA HARANIA FATALLY FELL FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW
10:48HER 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AYA
10:51WHO HAD FOUND HER MOTHER'S BODY
10:53WAS UNAWARE THAT SHE HAD BEEN PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE
10:57WHEN THEY TOOK HER I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT SHE WAS GOING TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE WORKED ON
11:02I THOUGHT OKAY SHE'S GOING TO BE IN THE ICU
11:05OBVIOUSLY CRITICAL CONDITION BUT NOT DEATH
11:08I THOUGHT WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T GET ANY UPDATE FOR A COUPLE HOURS
11:10BUT SHE WAS STILL ALIVE
11:12BUT NOW SHE WAS DECLARED DEAD ON THE SCENE
11:16BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL HOURS LATER
11:19AYA'S YOUNGER SISTER HAD BEEN ASLEEP DURING THE WHOLE INCIDENT
11:23SO THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE AT THE TIME WERE AYA AND HER BROTHER MOHAMMAD
11:28SO THEY WERE BOTH INTERVIEWED BY POLICE AT THE SCENE
11:38IN THE GUEST BEDROOM THERE WERE STREAKS ON THE WINDOW
11:41AS WELL AS AN IPHONE LEFT ON TOP OF THE DRESSER
11:45THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE OR FORCED ENTRY THAT THE POLICE COULD SEE
11:50SO THEY ASSUMED THAT THIS HAD BEEN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT
11:54WHILE SNADA HAD BEEN CLEANING THE WINDOW SHE'D FALLEN
11:58THEY WERE ASKING US A LOT OF QUESTIONS
12:01THEY WERE ASKING WHAT OUR MOM'S NORMAL ROUTINE WAS
12:04IF IT WAS NORMAL FOR HER TO CLEAN THE WINDOWS
12:06I SAID NO THAT'S NOT NORMAL
12:08ANY CLEANING THAT SHE WOULD DO WOULD BE LIKE WASHING LEFT-OVER DISHES FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE
12:13BUT NOT CLEANING THE OUTSIDE OF A WINDOW
12:15SHE WOULD NORMALLY HIRE A COMPANY TO COME DO THAT
12:18AND THEN THEY WERE ALSO ASKING ABOUT MY MOM'S HISTORY
12:20IF SHE EVER ATTEMPTED TO HARM HERSELF
12:23AND I ADAMANTLY IMMEDIATELY SAID NO
12:26AND MY BROTHER WAS LIKE AYA YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS
12:29BUT YEAH SHE TRIED TO KILL HERSELF ONCE
12:31AND I TURNED TO HIM AND I WAS LIKE WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
12:33NO SHE DIDN'T
12:34AND HE WAS LIKE AYA YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS
12:36BUT YEAH SHE TRIED TAKING A BUNCH OF PILLS
12:39I JUST DON'T THINK IT WAS TRUE
12:41I THOUGHT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT
12:44IF OUR MOTHER OVERDOSED
12:46IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE
12:47NO MATTER WHICH WAY I TRIED TO SPIN IT
12:49THERE WAS NO PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION
12:54AS AYA AND HER SIBLINGS WERE ALL UNDER 18 AND ALONE
12:59EMERGENCY SERVICES CALLED THEIR ESTRANGE FATHER BASEL
13:02TO COME AND LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN
13:05BASEL ARRIVES AND HE SEES HIS ESTRANGED WIFE DEAD ON THE PATIO
13:11AND HE DROPS TO HIS KNEES IN SHOCK
13:15AT THIS POINT AYA STILL DIDN'T KNOW THAT HER MOTHER WAS DEAD
13:19IT WAS THE FIRST TIME BASEL HAD RETURNED TO THE FAMILY HOME
13:23SINCE THE PROTECTIVE ORDER
13:25HIS BEHAVIOR AND COMMENTS TO HIS DAUGHTER AYA
13:28RAISED SUSPICIONS AMONG INVESTIGATORS
13:31THAT DAY I HAD GYM SO I WAS WEARING LEGGINGS AND A SHIRT
13:36AND THE BACK OF IT HAD AN OPEN BACK CUTOUT
13:39MY DAD COMES INTO THE HOUSE AND HE'S LIKE
13:41AYA WHAT ARE YOU WEARING
13:43YOU'RE GONNA GO TO HELL IF YOU KEEP DRESSING LIKE THAT
13:45AND I'M JUST THINKING WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
13:46THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE SEEING ME IN OVER A YEAR AND A HALF
13:50AND THE FIRST THING YOU'RE SAYING TO ME IS
13:52AYA YOU'RE GONNA GO TO HELL IF YOU KEEP DRESSING LIKE THAT
13:55AYA'S FATHER IMMEDIATELY COMMENTING ON HER STATE OF DRESS
13:58AFTER AYA HAS JUST WITNESSED THIS VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE
14:02AND IS A CHILD WHO ACTUALLY NEEDS CONSOLING
14:04IS VERY TELLING ABOUT HIS SORT OF ATTITUDE APPROACH TO FAMILY
14:09AND I BELIEVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN AS WELL
14:13STILL UNAWARE THAT HER MOM NADA'S FALL WAS FATAL
14:17AYA WAS DESPERATE TO FIND OUT HER CONDITION
14:20MY DAD TOOK US TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PLACES THAT DAY
14:23I THINK WE WERE COMING BACK FROM ONE OF HIS FRIENDS' HOUSES
14:26WE WERE IN THE CAR, MY DAD DRIVING
14:28AND HE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH HIS MOM TALKING IN ARABIC
14:33AND WE WERE PULLING UP INTO OUR DRIVEWAY
14:35AND HE SAID, OH, NADA'S DEAD
14:39EVERYBODY GETS OUT OF THE CAR
14:40AND I SAY TO MY DAD, WHEN WERE YOU PLANNING ON TELLING ME
14:44THAT OUR MOTHER WAS DEAD?
14:45AND HE TURNS TO ME AND HIS FACE LIKE DROPS
14:47HE STARTS CRYING, HE TURNS TO ME AND HE'S LIKE
14:50AYA, WE HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER
14:52WE ONLY HAVE EACH OTHER NOW
14:53WE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER
14:55AND HE'S HUGGING ME
14:56AND I JUST HAVE MY ARMS DOWN AT MY SIDES
14:58I'M NOT HUGGING HIM BACK
14:59I DIDN'T TRUST HIM
15:00I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE WITH HIM
15:01I DIDN'T...
15:04I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM
15:06I THINK IT JUST REINFORCED THAT
15:10ANY HOPE I HAD FOR HIM
15:12CHANGING, BECOMING EMPATHETIC
15:13BECOMING A FATHER
15:17WAS GONE
15:22SECURITY AND STABILITY ARE KEY PILLARS
15:25OF ANY CHILD'S UPBRINGING
15:27JUST NEEDS, BASIC FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS
15:29AND FOR AYA, ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN RIPPED AWAY
15:32IN A MATTER OF HOURS
15:34HER MOM HAS PASSED
15:35SHE ALREADY HAS A VERY COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP
15:38WITH HER ABUSIVE FATHER
15:39AND SO THAT'S REALLY GOT TO PUT HER
15:41IN SUCH A DIFFICULT AND EMOTIONAL POSITION
15:44WHICH IS A HUGE AMOUNT TO TRY AND COMPREHEND
15:47AT JUST 14 YEARS OLD
15:49ON AUGUST 22ND, THE MORNING AFTER
15:53NADA HAD DIED, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
15:55CARRIED OUT AN INITIAL AUTOPSY ON HER BODY
15:58SHE HAD SUFFERED SCRAPES AND FRACTURES
16:01CONSISTENT WITH A FALL FROM HEIGHT
16:03BUT THERE WAS NO BLOOD FOUND UNDER HER BODY
16:07SHE ALSO HAD A SCRAPE ON HER HEAD
16:09WHICH HAD NOT BLED AS PROFUSELY
16:11AS WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED
16:13AND NO BLEEDING ON THE BRAIN
16:15MEANING HER HEART HAD STOPPED PUMPING
16:17BEFORE SHE WENT OUT THE WINDOW
16:22THAT MEANS SHE COULDN'T HAVE JUMPED
16:24SHE COULDN'T HAVE ACCIDENTALLY FALLEN
16:26SHE DIED BEFORE SHE FELL ON THE PATIO BELOW
16:33THEY WENT BACK TO RUN FURTHER TESTS
16:35AND AT THE SAME TIME POLICE RETURNED
16:37TO THE HOUSE WITH A SEARCH WARRANT
16:39THERE WERE SIX SECURITY CAMERAS
16:42AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE
16:43AND THEY CONFISCATED THE EQUIPMENT
16:45FOR FURTHER REVIEW
16:48UNFORTUNATELY NONE OF THE CAMERAS
16:50LOOKED DIRECTLY AT THE GUEST BEDROOM
16:52BUT THERE WAS A BIT OF FUTTAGE FOUND
16:54THAT BLEW THE INVESTIGATION OPEN
16:59DETECTIVES CAME ACROSS SURVEILLANCE
17:01OF THE SPOT WHERE NADA'S BODY WAS FOUND
17:04AND ON FOOTAGE RECORDED AT 5.54 A.M.
17:08THEY SAW NADA'S BODY FALLING TO THE GROUND
17:11BUT WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT AGAIN
17:14THEY SPOTTED SOMETHING CHILLING
17:16IN THE SHADOW OF THE SECOND FLOOR BEDROOM
17:18FROM WHERE NADA FELL
17:20ON THE LEFT OF THE FRAME
17:22A LIGHT APPEARS TO COME ON
17:24FOLLOWED BY A CURTAIN OPENING IN THE GUEST BEDROOM
17:28A PERSON WITH SHORT HAIR
17:30COULD BE SEEN OPENING A WINDOW
17:32BEFORE SOMETHING HEAVY WAS DRAGGED OVER TO IT
17:35AND THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW
17:37JUST BEFORE NADA'S BODY FELL TO THE PATIO BELOW
17:44THIS IS NOT SOMEONE WHO'S ACCIDENTALLY FALLEN TO THEIR DEATH
17:47THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN
17:48SOMEONE ELSE IS THERE AND IS INVOLVED
17:51THIS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE INVESTIGATION
17:54THIS WAS NOW A HOMICIDE AND NOT AN ACCIDENT
17:58THEY COULD CLEARLY SEE SOMEBODY HAD PUSHED NADA'S BODY OUT OF THE WINDOW
18:03BUT WHOSE SHADOW WAS IT?
18:06THE FIRST PERSON WHO CAME TO MIND FOR MANY
18:09WAS NOT AS A STRANGED HUSBAND
18:11DR. BASIL ALTENTAWI
18:14BASIL'S HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
18:16AFTER SLAMMING A DOOR ON NADA'S HAND
18:19STOOD OUT AS A RED FLAG FOR DETECTIVES
18:23THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY LOOK AT BASIL AS A SUSPECT
18:26AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY
18:28IN THE U.S. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT UP TO NEARLY 50%
18:31OF ALL FEMALE VICTIMS OF HOMICIDE
18:34HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY INTIMATE PARTNERS PAST OR CURRENT
18:37AND SO COMBINING THAT WITH BASIL'S HISTORY
18:41OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE
18:43CAN REALLY HIGHLIGHT WHY HE WAS A PROBABLE CONTENDER
18:46FOR POLICE SUSPICION
18:48AND WHY THEY WANTED TO ASK HIM
18:49SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS
18:50INVESTIGATORS WERE ALSO AWARE
18:53THAT DURING DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN BASIL AND NADA
18:56HE HAD BECOME THE SUBJECT
18:58OF ANOTHER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
19:01BASIL HAD FOUND HIMSELF IN SOME SERIOUS LEGAL TROUBLE
19:04AFTER THERE HAD BEEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO HIS CLINIC
19:08BASIL WAS CONVICTED OF HEALTH CARE FRAUD
19:12IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
19:13THAT WAS HANDLED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
19:15OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AT THE TIME
19:16HE HAD TO PAY A HEAVY FINE
19:18AND HE LOST HIS MEDICAL LICENSE
19:20BUT INVESTIGATORS WERE SHOCKED TO DISCOVER
19:24THAT THEIR PRIME SUSPECT BASIL HAD AN AIRTIGHT ALIBI
19:28AS PART OF HIS PROTECTIVE ORDER
19:31BASIL WORE A GPS TRACKING ANKLE MONITOR
19:34THAT FED HIS LOCATION TO AUTHORITIES 24-7
19:37TURNS OUT HE WAS 20 MILES AWAY WHEN NADA DIED
19:41BASIL RALT AND TOWIE WAS NOT THE KILLER
19:51AFTER DETECTIVES SPOTTED A SHADOWY FIGURE
19:54ON A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
19:55PUSHING THE BODY OF 35-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF THREE
19:58NADA HARANIA FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW
20:01INVESTIGATORS BEGAN TO NARROW DOWN THEIR HUNT
20:04FOR HER KILLER
20:05THEY NOW KNEW THAT HER ABUSIVE ESTRANGED HUSBAND
20:10HAD A ROCK-SOLID ALIBI
20:11SO THE INVESTIGATORS NOW NEEDED TO KNOW
20:14THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE CHILDREN AT THE TIME OF THE MURDER
20:18AND TRY TO WORK OUT IF SOMEBODY HAD BROKEN IN
20:21TO KILL THEIR MOM
20:23THE DAY AFTER NADA WAS KILLED
20:25POLICE WERE WANTED TO INTERVIEW BOTH AYA AND MOHAMMAD
20:28AND THEIR DAD BASIL SUGGESTED
20:30THAT THE BEST PLACE TO DO THAT WOULD BE THE FAMILY HOME
20:33AYA WENT TO SCHOOL
20:34AND WHEN BASIL WENT TO PICK HER UP
20:36MOHAMMAD WAS BEING INTERVIEWED BY POLICE
20:39SAT AT THE FAMILY'S DINING TABLE
20:41DETECTIVES QUIZZED 16-YEAR-OLD MOHAMMAD
20:44ABOUT HIS MOM
20:45DO YOU AND YOUR MOM GET ALONG WELL?
20:49YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE PRETTY NORMAL
20:51WE'VE BEEN PRETTY NORMAL FOR LIKE A WHILE
20:53LIKE THE ONLY TIME I TOLD YOU THIS MORNING
20:56WE KIND OF HAD ISSUES, YOU COULD SAY, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DIVORCE CASE
21:01BUT THAT'S NOT IT
21:02HOW LONG IS THAT THEN GOING ON?
21:04NEAR THE TWO YEARS, A YEAR AND A HALF NOW
21:07MOHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS PARENTS' DIVORCE COMES UP
21:10AND HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULT FEELINGS THERE
21:13WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE AND HAPPENS, I'M GONNA SAY,
21:17IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY CASE OF DIVORCE
21:18WHERE CHILDREN MIGHT FIND THAT SITUATION DIFFICULT
21:21SO NOTHING RAISES INITIAL SIGNIFICANT ALARM BELLS
21:27ALL RIGHT, LIKE HOW OFTEN DO YOU TALK TO YOUR DAD?
21:30SO PRETTY, LIKE MAYBE, EVERY THREE, EVERY THREE, FOUR DAYS
21:33THREE OR FOUR DAYS, YOUR DAD PRETTY CLOSE?
21:35YEAH
21:35ALL RIGHT
21:36MOHAMMAD STILL SEEMS TO HAVE A PRETTY STRONG RELATIONSHIP
21:39WITH HIS FATHER IS CERTAINLY STRONGER THAN THAT
21:41THAT HIS SISTERS HAVE WITH HIM
21:43AND PERHAPS THAT JUST EXPRESSES THAT THIS IS A VERY YOUNG PERSON
21:47WHO MAYBE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE VIOLENCE THAT'S OCCURRED
21:51BETWEEN HIS MOTHER AND FATHER
21:52BECAUSE, CLEARLY, THAT'S DISRUPTED THE RELATIONSHIP
21:56BETWEEN HIS FATHER AND HIS SISTERS
21:57BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE BETWEEN THEM
22:01WOULD YOU KNOW IF SOMEBODY CAME OVER TO THE HOUSE LAST NIGHT?
22:04I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY CAME IN THE HOUSE OR ANYTHING, WOULD YOU KNOW?
22:09I SHOULD, YEAH
22:11I GOT UP AROUND 6 O'CLOCK
22:13AND THEN 6.05 I GOT INTO THE SHOWER
22:15AND THEN WHAT?
22:18I STARTED TO PUT MY CLOTHES
22:19GET MY SCHOOL STUFF READY
22:21AND THEN AROUND 6.30 THAT'S WHEN MY SISTER YIELD
22:24POLICE KNEW THAT IT WAS ONLY THE CHILDREN WHO'D BEEN IN THE HOUSE THAT DAY
22:29SO THEY BEGAN TO QUESTION MOHAMMAD
22:31ABOUT WHO THIS FIGURE THAT THEY'D SEEN ON THE CCTV COULD BE
22:36SOMEBODY WAS THERE
22:36WE KNOW THAT
22:37SO WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED
22:42WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS SOMETHING DONE BY AN ACCIDENT
22:45WHICH ACCIDENTS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME
22:47IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING
22:48OR IF IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE
22:50THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT
22:56I DON'T WANT TO, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY SISTER
23:00ABOUT
23:01I MEAN, IF IT COMES DOWN TO IT
23:03AND YEAH, SHE WAS AWAKE BEFORE ME
23:06ALTHOUGH MOHAMMAD CLAIMED HIS SISTER WAS AWAKE BEFORE HIM
23:10INVESTIGATORS ALREADY KNEW IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HER IN THE GUEST BEDROOM
23:15THE INVESTIGATORS HAD A CRUCIAL DETAIL FROM THIS FOOTAGE
23:18THAT THE PERSON HAD SHOT HER
23:21SO THAT RULLED OUT AYA
23:22BUT YOU'RE TELLING ME RIGHT NOW THAT YOU WEREN'T IN THE ROOM
23:26LIKE MAYBE HELPING HER CLEAN THE WINDOWS OR HOLDING A LADER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
23:29WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WHEN THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED?
23:31NO
23:33ALTHOUGH MOHAMMAD DENIED BEING IN THE GUEST BEDROOM WITH HIS MOTHER THAT MORNING
23:37POLICE CONTINUED TO PRESS HIM ABOUT HIS WHEREABOUTS
23:40I MEAN, IF YOU WERE IN THE ROOM WITH HER
23:42DID YOU SAY YOU WERE IN THE ROOM WITH HER?
23:45I MEAN
23:48NOT
23:49I MEAN THE ONLY THING THAT I REALLY DID
23:52UM
23:53I SAW HER WALKING
23:55UPSTAIRS WITH SOME STUFF
23:56AND I JUST SAID TO GO GET
23:57SPRAY BOTTLE
23:58AND THEN I BROUGHT HER THAT
24:00AND I
24:01I JUST
24:01THAT'S IT
24:02I LOVED
24:04MOHAMMAD'S STORY HAS NOW SHIFTED SIGNIFICANTLY
24:08NOW THIS THROWS INTO QUESTION ALL OF THE ACCOUNT THAT HE'S MADE PRIOR
24:12BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOW TO KNOW WHICH ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN FABRICATED, WHICH ELEMENTS ARE BASED IN TRUTH
24:18IT'S OKAY
24:20SERIOUSLY
24:21ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, ALRIGHT
24:22WE JUST NEED TO KNOW
24:26SO MAN, I'M NOT ON THE VOICE, MAN
24:29MOHAMMAD
24:29I UNDERSTAND THAT
24:30I UNDERSTAND THAT WHOLEHEARTELY
24:32WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHY, SO WE DON'T LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER, OKAY?
24:39WHAT HAPPENED?
24:44UNDER PRESSURE, MOHAMMAD'S STORY REALLY STARTS TO FLUCTUATE QUITE A BIT
24:48HE ADMITS THAT HE WAS IN THE ROOM WITH HIS MOM
24:51HE WAS HELPING HER OUT WHILE SHE WAS CLEANING, HOLDING THE LADDER FOR HER
24:54BUT THEN WHEN SHE FELL, IN SHOCK, HE TOOK HIMSELF OFF TO THE SHOWER
25:17WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A POLICE INTERVIEW
25:19THERE IS A VERY KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE ADDING IN ADDITIONAL PIECES OF INFORMATION
25:25AND CHANGING INFORMATION
25:27AND WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE HERE IS THAT MOHAMMAD IS STARTING TO ERR ON CHANGING INFORMATION
25:32AND THAT CAN BE A REAL RED FLAG FOR POTENTIAL DECEIT
25:37AT THIS POINT, BASEL ARRIVED HOME AND STOPPED THE INTERVIEW
25:42I NEED TO NOT TELL ME NOW, I DON'T WANT TO GO ANY FURTHER
25:45I HAVE TO NOT TELL ME, BECAUSE WHEN I CAME BACK, IT BLOWED MY MIND
25:48MY DAUGHTER ASKED ME, WHAT'S GOING ON, DAD?
25:49WHY THEY DON'T LET US GO BACK TO THE HOUSE?
25:51SO THIS IS ACTUALLY NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE INVESTIGATING A CHILD
25:58FOLLOWING MOHAMMAD'S SHOCK CONFESSION THAT HE WAS IN THE ROOM
26:01AT THE TIME OF HIS MOM'S DEATH, POLICE INTERVIEWED THE CHILDREN SEPARATELY
26:05TO AVOID THEM COMMUNICATING OR CORROBORATING ON ONE VERSION OF EVENTS
26:11AYA USED HER POLICE INTERVIEW AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN
26:16THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE UNDER THE CARE OF HER ABUSIVE FATHER
26:19WHEN WE GOT TO THE POLICE STATION AND WE WERE BEING QUESTIONED
26:23THAT WAS WHEN I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR
26:28THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, I'M NOT GOING BACK HOME WITH HIM
26:33AND YEAH, I CHOSE TO GO INTO FOSTER CARE
26:36ME AND MY SISTER WERE GOING TO GO LIVE WITH A FAMILY RELATIVE
26:40WHO I KNEW HAD KNOWN FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE AND I TRUSTED
26:44AND I FELT SAFER WITH THEM, SO IT WAS A NO-BRAINER FOR ME.
26:49ON AUGUST 24, 2017, THREE DAYS AFTER NADA'S FATAL PUSH,
26:55AYA RECEIVED AN UNEXPECTED MESSAGE ON HER CELL PHONE.
26:59I GOT A TEXT FROM SOMEBODY THAT I HAD GONE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH
27:03AND HE HAD TEXTED ME SAYING,
27:05AYA, I'M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, BUT DO YOU THINK HE DID IT?
27:09AND I WAS LIKE, DO I THINK WHO DID WHAT?
27:11HE SAID, I'M SO SORRY, YOU DIDN'T HEAR,
27:13THEY'RE CHARGING YOUR BROTHER.
27:16I FOUND OUT FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSMATE
27:19THAT MY BROTHER WAS BEING CHARGED WITH THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER.
27:23I WAS IN SHOCK.
27:25IT WAS MORE LIKE AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE,
27:27WHERE, OKAY, YEAH, I WENT THROUGH THIS,
27:29AND I'M TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT IT,
27:31BUT I'M NOT FEELING THE EMOTIONS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH IT.
27:33I'M JUST... I DON'T KNOW. I...
27:40ON THE DAY THIS CASE HAPPENED,
27:42I WENT OUT TO THE FAMILY HOME,
27:44TRIED TO TALK TO NEIGHBORS,
27:45BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THIS FAMILY VERY WELL.
27:47THE FAMILY KEPT TO THEMSELVES.
27:49BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS OF IT BEING IN THE NEWS,
27:52NADA'S FRIENDS STARTED CALLING POLICE.
27:55NADA WOULD TELL THEM THAT MOHAMMAD, HER SON,
27:58BLAMED HER FOR THE TROUBLE IN THE FAMILY,
28:01AND THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE HER DAUGHTERS,
28:03BUT SHE WAS DEAD TO HER SON.
28:07PROCESSING THE NEWS THAT HER BROTHER
28:09HAD BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED
28:11FOR THE MURDER OF HIS OWN MOTHER,
28:13AYA REFLECTED ON MOHAMMAD'S BEHAVIOR
28:16IN THE LEAD-UP TO NADA'S DEATH.
28:18HE WAS BECOMING A LOT MORE ASSERTIVE,
28:21A LOT MORE VIOLENT.
28:23I THINK HE GENUINELY THOUGHT THAT
28:27NOW THAT OUR DAD'S OUT OF THE HOUSE,
28:28HE HAS TO STEP UP AND BE THE MAN
28:31AND PUT US IN OUR PLACE.
28:34MY BROTHER WAS IN CONTACT WITH MY DAD A LOT,
28:37JUST BECAME A LITTLE, LIKE, SPY,
28:43ESSENTIALLY FOR MY DAD,
28:44BECAUSE THIS WAS DURING THEIR DIVORCE CASE.
28:48I HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH MOHAMMAD
28:52THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT MOHAMMAD
28:54HAD TAKEN HIS FATHER'S SIDE IN THE DIVORCE.
28:59IT'S ACTUALLY A BLIZARD HERE IN MICHIGAN.
29:02AND I PARKED MY CAR CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
29:07I MET WITH NAVA.
29:09I HAD NOT SEEN MOHAMMAD.
29:11AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE,
29:13WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR,
29:16MOHAMMAD WAS ACTUALLY STANDING RIGHT BEHIND MY CAR.
29:20AND HE SEEMED TO BE RECORDING MY LICENSE PLATE.
29:23THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK OF THAT MADE SENSE
29:26UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES
29:27THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE REPORTING TO HIS FATHER.
29:30SO HE WAS TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING HE COULD
29:33TO GIVE TO MY DAD TO USE AS LEVERAGE
29:34IS MY GUESS IN THE DIVORCE CASE.
29:37SO IT MADE SENSE THAT HE DID IT.
29:39SO I STILL THOUGHT, OKAY, MAYBE SOMEHOW
29:43HE ACCIDENTALLY DID IT OR HE DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT.
29:45OR, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS I DIDN'T FULLY BELIEVE
29:47THAT IT WAS 100% INTENTIONAL.
29:50AYA IS A YOUNG AND VULNERABLE GIRL IN THIS SITUATION
29:53WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN TORN APART IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS.
29:58AND SO, OF COURSE, SHE'S CLINGING ON TO THE HOPE
30:00OF HER BROTHER'S INNOCENCE
30:01BECAUSE SHE'S ALREADY LOST HER MOTHER AND HER FATHER,
30:04AND NOW THIS IS HER POTENTIALLY LOSING HER BROTHER TOO.
30:10WHILE MOHAMMAD AWAYED TRIAL
30:12FOR THE MURDER OF HIS OWN MOTHER,
30:14HIS FATHER, BASIL, HIRED A VETERAN DEFENSE ATTORNEY
30:17NAMED MICHAEL SHIARNO.
30:19ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT MICHAEL DID
30:22WAS HIGHLIGHT THAT THE DAY AFTER NADA DIED,
30:25MOHAMMAD WAS INTERVIEWED BY THREE POLICE OFFICERS
30:28WITHOUT HIS DAD OR AN ATTORNEY PRESENT.
30:32HE COULD HAVE BEEN COERCED BY THE OFFICERS,
30:34HE HADN'T BEEN READ HIS RIGHTS,
30:36AND THAT WHATEVER HE SAID IN THAT INTERVIEW
30:38COULDN'T THEN BE ADMISSIBLE IN THE COURT CASE.
30:41THE COURT RULED IN THEIR FAVOR,
30:43MEANING PROSECUTORS WERE UNABLE TO CALL IN
30:46MOHAMMAD'S KITCHEN TABLE INTERVIEW FOR THE TRIAL.
30:51BUT IN NOVEMBER 2017,
30:54DURING A PRELIMINARY COURT HEARING,
30:56NEW DETAILS OF NADA'S AUTOPSY REPORT
30:59WERE REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.
31:02THE KEY FINDING, WHICH INVESTIGATORS WERE ALREADY AWARE OF,
31:06WAS THAT NADA HAD DIED BY ASFICIATION.
31:09SHE HAD BEEN SMOTHERED TO DEATH.
31:15ARMED WITH EVIDENCE THAT NADA HAD BEEN MURDERED,
31:18INVESTIGATORS CONTINUED TO BUILD THEIR CASE,
31:21AND DISCOVERED THAT MOHAMMAD RESENTED HIS MOTHER
31:24FOR THE FAILURE OF HIS PARENTS' MARRIAGE,
31:26AND HAD TAKEN HIS FATHER'S SIDE DURING THE DIVORCE.
31:31IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE DIVORCE CASE,
31:34OUR MOTHER WOULD ASK HIM WHERE HE WAS GOING
31:36WHEN HE WAS GOING TO MEET UP WITH OUR DAD,
31:38AND HE WOULDN'T TELL HER,
31:38BUT THEN HE WOULD ASK US WHERE WE WERE GOING
31:40AND EXPECT ANSWERS.
31:41OR WHEN SHE WOULD TRY TO TAKE HIS PHONE
31:44BECAUSE HE WAS TEXTING OUR DAD AND HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO,
31:46HE WOULD NOT LET HER,
31:47AND IT WOULD TURN INTO ITS OWN PHYSICAL ALTERCATION,
31:50AND HE WOULD THEN TAKE HER PHONE INSTEAD.
31:53IT WAS JUST VERY BIZARRE.
31:56DESPITE HER BROTHER'S ARREST AND HIS MURDER CHARGE,
32:00AYA WAS STILL HOLDING ONTO THAT HOPE
32:02THAT HE MIGHT BE INNOCENT.
32:04I LOST MY DAD LONG BEFORE MY MOM DIED.
32:08I LOST MY MOM.
32:09I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE MY BROTHER, TOO.
32:10I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE REASON
32:11WHY I WAS NOT FULLY ACCEPTING
32:14THAT IT WAS 100% INTENTIONALLY PREMEDITATED MURDER.
32:18THERE HAS TO BE SOME OTHER EXPLANATION.
32:20MAYBE HE DID DO IT, BUT HOW DO YOU KILL YOUR MOTHER?
32:23HOW DO YOU KILL ANYONE, MUCH LESS YOUR MOTHER?
32:29AFTER EXTENDED LEGAL WRANGLING
32:32OVER THE USE OF A POLICE INTERVIEW,
32:34MOHAMMAD ALTANTAWI SPENT YEARS AWAYING TRIAL
32:37FOR THE MURDER OF HIS MOTHER, NADA HARANIA,
32:40WHO HAD BEEN SUFFOCATED
32:42BEFORE BEING PUSHED OUT OF A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW.
32:45IN MARCH 2022, NEARLY FIVE YEARS AFTER NADA'S DEATH,
32:50MOHAMMAD ALTANTAWI'S MURDER TRIAL BEGAN.
32:53MOHAMMAD ALTANTAWI WOULD GO ON TRIAL CHARGED AS AN ADULT
32:57WITH FIRST-DEGREE PREMEDITATED MURDER.
33:02I WAS NOT AT THE TRIAL.
33:04I HAD AT THAT POINT MOVED JOBS
33:09AND MOVED BACK TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE,
33:12WHO WAS PROSECUTING MOHAMMAD,
33:14SO I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROSECUTION OF THE CASE
33:17BY ORDER OF THE PROSECUTOR.
33:21ALTHOUGH MOHAMMAD ALTANTAWI WAS ONLY 16 YEARS OLD
33:24WHEN HE KILLED HIS MOM, HE WAS TRIED AS AN ADULT,
33:27BECAUSE MICHIGAN STATE LAW ALLOWS PROSECUTORS
33:30TO CHARGE JUVENILES AS ADULTS
33:32IN CASES OF SERIOUS OFFENSES, SUCH AS MURDER.
33:36A CASE LIKE THIS IS EXTREMELY RARE,
33:39AND THERE'S A NAME FOR IT, MATRICIDE, MATERNAL HOMICIDE,
33:43WHERE A CHILD KILLS HIS OR HER OWN MOTHER.
33:46THE DEATH OF A MOTHER AT THE HANDS OF A CHILD?
33:49ALMOST UNHEARD OF.
33:52IN OPENING STATEMENTS AT THE TRIAL,
33:54PROSECUTORS FOCUSED ON THE MOTIVE
33:56AND ALSO THE FAMILY DYNAMICS.
33:59THAT MOHAMMAD HAD A HATRED FOR HIS MOTHER,
34:01HER GROWING NEED FOR MORE INDEPENDENCE,
34:04HER NEW AMERICANIZED LIFESTYLE,
34:06AND THE TIMING.
34:07NADA WAS SET TO GIVE A DEPOSITION
34:09AGAINST MOHAMMAD'S FATHER IN THE DIVORCE.
34:13HE WANTED TO STOP THAT.
34:16NADA CAME TO MY OFFICE ON A FRIDAY
34:18BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY
34:20TO PREPARE FOR A DEPOSITION
34:22THAT WAS TO BE HELD THE NEXT WEEK
34:24WHERE BASEL'S ATTORNEY WOULD QUESTION NADA,
34:28AND I IN TURN WOULD QUESTION BASEL.
34:31AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT SHE DID NOT THINK
34:35THAT THE DEPOSITION WAS EVER GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
34:38WHY THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW.
34:40I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT,
34:44AND I ASSUMED THAT NADA KNEW SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW
34:49THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN
34:50BETWEEN THE MEETING IN MY OFFICE ON FRIDAY
34:53AND THE DEPOSITION WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT WEEK.
34:57AS IT TURNED OUT, WE'LL NEVER KNOW
35:00BECAUSE NADA PASSED AWAY A COUPLE DAYS LATER.
35:03THIS CASE WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE PHYSICAL FACTS
35:07OF WHO WAS WHERE AND WHEN.
35:08IT WAS ABOUT A FAMILY SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE
35:12AND WHETHER HATRED BETWEEN A FATHER, WIFE, AND A SON
35:16COULD REALLY CAUSE SOMEONE TO KILL.
35:19THE BIG QUESTION FOR PROSECUTORS
35:22WAS WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONVINCE THE JURY
35:25THAT A SON WAS CAPABLE OF KILLING HIS OWN MOTHER.
35:29PART OF THE PROSECUTION'S CASE
35:31FOCUSED ON INCONSISTENCIES AT THE CRIME SCENE.
35:34THE PROSECUTOR EXPLAINED TO THE JURY
35:37THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
35:39THAT NADA HAD BEEN SUFFOCATED BEFORE SHE FELL
35:42AND THAT THE SCENE HAD BEEN STAGED.
35:44THE LADDER NEXT TO THE WINDOW
35:46WITH A CLEANING BOTTLE OF SOLUTION ON TOP OF IT.
35:49ONE DETECTIVE TESTIFIED THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION
35:52THAT'S USED TO CLEAN WINDOWS.
35:54AND NEXT TO NADA'S BODY ON THE PATIO BELOW
35:57WAS A TOWEL, A CLOTH THAT HAD SOME SOLUTION IN IT.
36:01IT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN USED TO SUFFOCATE NADA.
36:07THEN IT WAS TIME FOR THE PROSECUTION'S KEY EVIDENCE,
36:10THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FOOTAGE.
36:13PROSECUTION SHOWED THE JURY THE VIDEO EVIDENCE,
36:16THE SHADOWS FROM THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
36:19A PERSON WITH SHORT HAIR DRAGGING SOMETHING OVER TO THE WINDOW,
36:24THEN HOISTING IT OUT OF THE WINDOW,
36:26JUST MOMENTS BEFORE NADA'S BODY WOULD HIT THE GROUND.
36:30THEY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT INSIDE THE HOUSE
36:33WERE ONLY THE THREE CHILDREN,
36:35AND ONLY ONE HAD SHORT HAIR, MOHAMMED.
36:40AT ONE POINT IN THE VIDEO,
36:42MOHAMMED COULD BE SEEN GIVING HIS MOTHER CPR,
36:45BUT ACCORDING TO THE PROSECUTION,
36:48ONLY HALF-HEARTEDLY.
36:50FURTHERMORE, WHILE ON THE PHONE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES,
36:53HE WAS NOT GIVING HER CHEST COMPRESSIONS AT ALL,
36:57AND WAS SIMPLY COUNTING.
36:59ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
37:01ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
37:04ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
37:06PROSECUTORS SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE
37:08MOHAMMED ALREADY KNEW HIS MOTHER WAS DEAD.
37:15THEN THEY HIGHLIGHTED KEY EVIDENCE
37:18FROM MOHAMMED ALTON TAWI'S PHONE.
37:21PROSECUTORS KNEW IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
37:24TO CONVINCE A JURY THAT A 16-YEAR-OLD SON
37:26WOULD KILL HIS OWN MOTHER,
37:28BUT THEY HAD MORE GOOD CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE,
37:31INCLUDING MOHAMMED'S PHONE RECORDS.
37:34IN FACT, HE HAD HIS MOTHER IN HIS PHONE
37:35AS A CONTACT NAMED DOG.
37:39TO CALL SOMEBODY A DOG,
37:41AND YOUR OWN MOM, NONETHELESS,
37:44WHO DID NOTHING TO DESERVE THAT?
37:45JUST, WHY?
37:48MOHAMMED SAVING HIS MOTHER'S NAME AS DOG IN HIS PHONE
37:52IS INCREDIBLY MISOGYNISTIC LANGUAGE
37:55AND REALLY IMPLIES A HATRED,
37:57NOT JUST TOWARDS HIS MOTHER, BUT TO WOMEN.
38:00AND I THINK WE CAN REALLY SEE A POTENTIAL INFLUENCE THERE
38:04FROM HIS FATHER'S OWN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS
38:07TOWARDS WOMEN IN HIS LIFE,
38:09AND HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE IMPACTED THEN
38:11ON MOHAMMED'S OWN OPINIONS AND BEHAVIORS TOO.
38:14THE PROSECUTION ALSO USED MOHAMMED'S PHONE
38:17TO DEMONSTRATE MOTIVE.
38:19JUST WEEKS BEFORE SHE WAS KILLED,
38:22NADA TEXTED HER SON MOHAMMED TO TELL HIM
38:24SHE WOULD HAVE TO TESTIFY IN THE DIVORCE CASE.
38:27SHE WOULD HAVE TO SAY TRUTHFULLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
38:31WITH ABUSE AND MISCONDUCT.
38:33PROSECUTORS ARGUED THAT MOHAMMED WANTED TO PROTECT HIS FATHER,
38:37THAT THIS HAD SERIOUS LEGAL AND PERSONAL IMPLICATIONS,
38:41THAT HE WANTED TO STOP NADA FROM TESTIFYING TO PROTECT HIS FATHER.
38:45BUT THERE WAS MORE STRONG EVIDENCE PROSECUTORS PRESENTED TO THE JURY
38:50THAT MOHAMMED TOOK PICTURES OF THE GUEST ROOM AND THAT OPEN WINDOW
38:54AND SENT THEM TO HIS FATHER THREE WEEKS BEFORE NADA WAS KILLED.
38:58ALSO REVEALED WAS FURTHER EVIDENCE FROM HIS PHONE.
39:01IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THE DAY THAT NADA DIED,
39:05THERE WERE PHONE CALLS BETWEEN MOHAMMED AND HIS FATHER.
39:08HE HAD TOLD POLICE HE WAS ASLEEP
39:11BEFORE LEARNING OF HIS MOTHER'S DEATH.
39:14EVEN THOUGH THE TRIAL RAISED SOME QUESTIONS
39:16ABOUT WHAT BASIL KNEW, ABOUT WHAT MOHAMMED WAS PLANNING TO DO TO NADA,
39:21BASIL ALTON TAWI HAS NEVER BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING IN CONNECTION TO HER MURDER.
39:27AYA TESTIFIED AT THE TRIAL ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR FAMILY
39:30FIVE YEARS EARLIER, WHEN SHE WAS ONLY 14.
39:34I DIDN'T SEE IT AS TESTIFYING AGAINST MY BROTHER.
39:37I WAS THERE TO TESTIFY AND TELL THE TRUTH, AND THAT WAS IT.
39:42ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ADDRESSED IN COURT WHILE TESTIFYING WAS THE FACT THAT MY BROTHER
39:46SAW THE DIVORCE AS BEING A SPLITTING THE FAMILY TO TWO SIDES,
39:50HE AND OUR FATHER, AND THE OTHER BEING MY MOTHER AND I,
39:53AND THAT OUR AGENDA WAS TO DESTROY OUR FATHER'S LIFE,
39:56TO TAKE HIS MONEY, TO TAKE HIS HOUSE, TO RUIN HIS CAREER, HIS LIFE,
40:00WHICH WASN'T THE CASE.
40:03IN RESPONSE TO THE PROSECUTION,
40:05MOHAMMED ALTON TAWI'S DEFENSE TEAM LAID OUT THEIR ARGUMENTS
40:09IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE REASONABLE DOUBT TO THE JURY.
40:13THEY POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO WAY OF PROVING
40:16THAT THE PERSON IN THE WINDOW WAS MOHAMMED,
40:18OR EVEN THE SIZE, AGE, OR SEX OF THE PERSON CASTING THE SHADOW.
40:23THE DEFENSE ALSO MADE THE CASE THAT MOHAMMED WAS SKINNY,
40:27AND THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD OVERPOWER HIS OWN MOTHER,
40:30WHO HAD BEEN WORKING OUT IN A GYM.
40:33THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY ARGUED THE TIMELINE WAS TOO TIGHT.
40:36NOT HIS BODY FELL AT 5.53 IN THE MORNING.
40:39THE CHILDREN WOKE UP AT 6.
40:41NOT ENOUGH TIME TO COMMIT THE MURDER,
40:44TO CLEAN UP THE SCENE, AND TO HIDE EVIDENCE.
40:48ON MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022,
40:52AFTER DELIBERATING FOR ONLY TWO HOURS,
40:55THE JURY FOUND MOHAMMED ALTENTAWI GUILTY
40:58OF FIRST-DEGREE PREMEDITATED MURDER.
41:02SIX MONTHS LATER AT SENTENCING,
41:05MOHAMMED CONTINUED TO DECLARE HIS INNOCENCE.
41:08THEN CAME THE VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS
41:11FROM AYA AND MOHAMMED ALTENTAWI'S FATHER, BASIL.
41:14HE WAS TRYING TO USE EVERYBODY ELSE'S STORY TO GAIN SYMPATHY,
41:18AND HE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT HOW HE WAS SAD ABOUT OUR MOM.
41:22HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT OUR MOM AT ALL.
41:25AS BASIL LEFT THE COURTROOM,
41:27AYA FOLLOWED HIM TO THE LOBBY TO CONFRONT HIM.
41:31I GOT IN HIS FACE, AND I STARTED YELLING AT HIM,
41:34AND I WOULD'VE GLADLY PUNCHED HIM
41:37IF I DIDN'T HAVE SIX DEPUTIES HOLDING ME BACK,
41:40AND I WOULDN'T HAVE REGRETED IT.
41:41I DON'T THINK HE UNDERSTANDS,
41:45WHY I FELT THAT WAY.
41:46I DON'T THINK HE EVER WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I FELT THAT WAY,
41:47BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE'S CAPABLE OF EMPATHIZING WITH ANYBODY.
41:51I DON'T THINK HE'S CAPABLE OF THINKING ABOUT HOW OTHER PEOPLE
41:54COULD BE AFFECTED FROM HIS ACTIONS.
41:58IT'S SAD FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT BEING RELATED TO SUCH PATHETIC PEOPLE.
42:06MOHAMMED WAS SENTENCED TO 35 TO 60 YEARS IN PRISON,
42:11WITH THE JUDGE SAYING HE UNDERSTOOD THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS
42:15AND WAS DESERVING OF SUCH A STIFF PENALTY.
42:19I HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONTACT WITH MY BROTHER SINCE THE TRIAL OR HIS SENTENCING ENDED.
42:24HAVE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT?
42:25YES.
42:26AND THE ONLY REASON THAT I WOULD TALK TO HIM,
42:28AGAIN, NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO, BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS ALSO HIS MOTHER,
42:31AND I RECOGNIZE THAT I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER HIM THE OPPORTUNITY
42:37FOR ME TO GO TO HER GRAVE AND HAVE HIM BE ON THE PHONE AND SAY WHATEVER HE WOULD WANT
42:41TO HER.
42:42AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I LIKE HIM, THAT I LOVE HIM, THAT I SUPPORT HIM,
42:46THAT I WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIM, THAT I WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
42:49IT MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OTHER THAN I AM PRESENTING YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY
42:52THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE WOULD GIVE YOU.
42:56SINCE HER MOTHER'S DEATH IN 2017 AND THE PAIN OF THE TRIAL,
43:00AYA HAS COMMITTED HERSELF TO HELPING OTHER VICTIMS OF CRIME FIND JUSTICE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES.
43:09MY CAREER PLANS ARE TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, BECOME A CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR,
43:15AND IF SOMEBODY'S GOING THROUGH SOMETHING, LIKE DOMESTIC ABUSE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE,
43:20AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN RELATE TO ME OR MY MOM OR ANY PART OF ANYTHING THAT WE WENT
43:25THROUGH,
43:25I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW AND SEE THAT I MIGHT BE BIASED,
43:32BUT I DON'T THINK I CHURNED OUT TOO TERRIBLY, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED,
43:35AND YOUR LIFE ISN'T DEFINED BY WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU, WHAT PEOPLE DO TO YOU.
43:41YOUR LIFE IS WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE, WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT,
43:43AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.
43:50I REMEMBER MY MOM AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS INCREDIBLY SELF-LESS AND KIND AND CARING,
43:56AND SHE PUT EVERYBODY BEFORE HER AND DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO EVER WORRY ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH
44:01AND DIDN'T TELL ALMOST ANYBODY WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH.
44:04AND I KNOW SHE WOULD WANT EVERYBODY THAT SHE LOVED, EVERYBODY IN HER LIFE,
44:08TO BE HAPPY AND TO NOT DWELL ON WHAT HAPPENED TO HER,
44:15AND IT SUCKS THAT I DON'T HAVE HER,
44:19BUT KNOWING THAT SHE CAN'T BE HURT ANYMORE, THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME.
44:59THANK YOU SO MUCH.
45:08AND YOU∼
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