HOUSTON – Investigators in Houston now say an Iranian activist was gunned down by Jordanian immigrants in 2012 because they believed she helped convert their Muslim daughter to Christianity.
Gelareh Bagherzadeh, a 30-year-old researcher at MD Anderson, was shot to death outside her parents home in the Galleria area.
Ali Irsan, 57, is charged with capital murder in the case. His wife, Shmou Ali Alrawabdeh, and their 21-year-old son, Nasim, are charged with murder.
Bagherzadeh was best friends with Ali Irsan's daughter and he blamed her when the daughter left home and married a Christian, according to investigators.
"Nesreen Irsan would not succumb to her father's complete domination and rule of her. And she left his home without his permission and went into hiding," said Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson.
Ali Irsan is also accused of killing his daughter's husband 10 months after Bagherzadeh was shot to death. Coty Beavers was the twin brother of Bagherzadeh's boyfriend.
"These two murders are linked by the belief on the defendant's part that his honor as a father and a Muslim has been violated by his daughter, who defied his rule and married a Christian man," said Anderson.
The Irsan's daughter Nadia is charged with stalking her sister while trying to find out where she and Beavers were living.
As the KHOU 11 News I-Team first reported in 2014, Montgomery County investigators have reopened the 1999 shooting of another of Irsan's son-in-laws.
According to his death certificate, Amjad Alidam was shot and killed by Irsan. At the time, the case was ruled self-defense.
But Irsan's daughter and Alidam's wife, Nesreen, later told police the shooting was staged.
According to a search warrant obtained by the KHOU 11 News I-Team, Nesreen Irsan told investigators that her father lured Alidam to the family s home under false pretenses and then shot Alidam with a shotgun.
Nesreen Irsan said her father then fired a pistol into the wall and placed the gun near Alidam's body to make it appear that he threatened and fired at Irsan first.
Irsan has not been charged in that case but the investigation continues.
Irsan, his wife and a daughter have been in custody for more than a year, at the center of a massive fraud investigation. That gave prosecutors time to build their case for murder.
"People want justice and they want justice yesterday. But in order for there to be true justice, it does require meticulous work and detail," said Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia.
Bagherzadeh's family released the following statement Wednesday evening: "The family is overjoyed about the latest development in their daughter's case. They appreciate the tireless efforts of the DA's office and HPD in Gelareh's case. Today, they are happy but still extremely sad. They have suffered in the past 39 months and nothing will bring their precious daughter back. Emotions are raw as they relive the the horrific memories."
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