BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ - DNA from a company laptop has reportedly linked a suspect to the 2017 murders of 38-year-old Sasikala Narra and her son, six-year-old Anish.
In 2017, a New Jersey father returned home from work to find his wife and son brutally stabbed to death inside their Maple Shade apartment, and now, nearly eight years later, authorities have identified a suspect, PEOPLE reported. Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Maple Shade Police Chief Christopher J. Fletcher announced that a 38-year-old Indian national has been charged with the murders.
The alleged suspect, Nazeer Hameed, has been charged with and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, according to a press release from the prosecutor's office.
"Our message today is clear — we do not forget, we do not forgive, and we do not stop pursuing those who take innocent lives," Prosecutor Bradshaw said. "Justice is sometimes delayed based on the challenges of each case, but justice must always prevail, and it certainly will in this case."
Narra's husband, Hanumanth "Hanu" Narra, discovered the scene when he returned home from his job. An autopsy later determined both victims died from multiple stab wounds, and Anish was nearly decapitated. Both victims also had defensive wounds, according to prosecutors.
Chief Fletcher described the scene as "unimaginable." According to the press release, he said, "There was carnage here. A mother and a young child who spent their last moments fighting for their lives."
After an eight-year investigation, authorities determined a tiny blood droplet found at the murder scene did not belong to either victim and belonged to a male with Central Asian ancestry. The blood was later determined to be the same type as Hameed, who lived in the same apartment complex as the Narras and worked for the same company, Cognizant Technology Solutions.
Hameed returned to India six months after the killings, where he remains. As the investigation continued, detectives identified him as a person of interest after learning he had been stalking Hanu Narra. For years, investigators attempted to obtain a DNA sample from Hameed, but he refused to provide one in October 2020.
A mutual legal assistance request submitted in 2023 acknowledging receipt by India's Ministry of Home Affairs was never fulfilled, according to prosecutors. Detectives ultimately obtained Hameed's DNA from a company-issued laptop after Cognizant complied with a subpoena.
A forensic examination of the keyboard produced a DNA profile consistent with the unknown blood droplet at the scene. "This development provided strong physical evidence that confirmed what our investigation had already determined," BCPO Lt. Brian Cunningham said. "Nazeer Hameed went to the Narra apartment and brutally murdered Sasikala and her son, Anish."
Eric Still, a resident in the area, said that Hameed "should be brought back here for justice in America." Sasikala's family attorney, Donald Browne, said that the deaths devastated the family. "It was shocking more than anything else," Browne said. "A spectacular family — mother, father, and child."
The prosecutor's office said the motive has not been definitively established. However, in the state of New Jersey, proving a motive is not required to secure a murder conviction.
"He committed this crime; there is no doubt in our minds that he is responsible," BCPO Chief of Investigations Patrick J. Thornton said. "We are hopeful that he will be extradited. I can't imagine the powers that be in India want to protect a man who nearly decapitated a six-year-old child after killing his mother in front of him."'
"Let me be very clear, our commitment to bringing justice for Sasikala and Anish never wavered," Chief Fletcher said. "These crimes were an outrage to our community and to all the investigators who worked on this case. Two photos hang prominently inside our detective bureau, one of Sasikala and Anish together, and another of Anish at school in his uniform. Those images reminded every investigator, every day, that they carried the responsibility of bringing justice for the victims."
Authorities in New Jersey are working with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State to seek Hameed's extradition.
In 2017, a New Jersey father returned home from work to find his wife and son brutally stabbed to death inside their Maple Shade apartment, and now, nearly eight years later, authorities have identified a suspect, PEOPLE reported. Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Maple Shade Police Chief Christopher J. Fletcher announced that a 38-year-old Indian national has been charged with the murders.
The alleged suspect, Nazeer Hameed, has been charged with and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, according to a press release from the prosecutor's office.
"Our message today is clear — we do not forget, we do not forgive, and we do not stop pursuing those who take innocent lives," Prosecutor Bradshaw said. "Justice is sometimes delayed based on the challenges of each case, but justice must always prevail, and it certainly will in this case."
Narra's husband, Hanumanth "Hanu" Narra, discovered the scene when he returned home from his job. An autopsy later determined both victims died from multiple stab wounds, and Anish was nearly decapitated. Both victims also had defensive wounds, according to prosecutors.
Chief Fletcher described the scene as "unimaginable." According to the press release, he said, "There was carnage here. A mother and a young child who spent their last moments fighting for their lives."
After an eight-year investigation, authorities determined a tiny blood droplet found at the murder scene did not belong to either victim and belonged to a male with Central Asian ancestry. The blood was later determined to be the same type as Hameed, who lived in the same apartment complex as the Narras and worked for the same company, Cognizant Technology Solutions.
Hameed returned to India six months after the killings, where he remains. As the investigation continued, detectives identified him as a person of interest after learning he had been stalking Hanu Narra. For years, investigators attempted to obtain a DNA sample from Hameed, but he refused to provide one in October 2020.
A mutual legal assistance request submitted in 2023 acknowledging receipt by India's Ministry of Home Affairs was never fulfilled, according to prosecutors. Detectives ultimately obtained Hameed's DNA from a company-issued laptop after Cognizant complied with a subpoena.
A forensic examination of the keyboard produced a DNA profile consistent with the unknown blood droplet at the scene. "This development provided strong physical evidence that confirmed what our investigation had already determined," BCPO Lt. Brian Cunningham said. "Nazeer Hameed went to the Narra apartment and brutally murdered Sasikala and her son, Anish."
Eric Still, a resident in the area, said that Hameed "should be brought back here for justice in America." Sasikala's family attorney, Donald Browne, said that the deaths devastated the family. "It was shocking more than anything else," Browne said. "A spectacular family — mother, father, and child."
The prosecutor's office said the motive has not been definitively established. However, in the state of New Jersey, proving a motive is not required to secure a murder conviction.
"He committed this crime; there is no doubt in our minds that he is responsible," BCPO Chief of Investigations Patrick J. Thornton said. "We are hopeful that he will be extradited. I can't imagine the powers that be in India want to protect a man who nearly decapitated a six-year-old child after killing his mother in front of him."'
"Let me be very clear, our commitment to bringing justice for Sasikala and Anish never wavered," Chief Fletcher said. "These crimes were an outrage to our community and to all the investigators who worked on this case. Two photos hang prominently inside our detective bureau, one of Sasikala and Anish together, and another of Anish at school in his uniform. Those images reminded every investigator, every day, that they carried the responsibility of bringing justice for the victims."
Authorities in New Jersey are working with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State to seek Hameed's extradition.
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments