HOUSTON — Hours after Arthir Murady was charged with murder in the shooting death of Harris County Precinct 4 Corporal Maher Husseini, a court document obtained by KHOU 11 reveals new details about the killing.
Corporal Husseini, 49, was gunned down in southwest Houston on his way to work on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Galveston police arrested Murady, 40, a few hours later after he drove into Galveston Bay following a brief chase. He's charged with murder in the shooting death of the corporal who had just been promoted a week ago.
We've learned the two men had a history dating back to 2023 that may shed light on a possible motive.
Timeline in killing of Pct. 4 Corporal Maher Husseini
2023: Along with his job with Precinct 4, Husseini owned a security company in southwest Houston, about a mile from where he was gunned down. His operations manager, Mustafa Abushalbak, told us they had interactions with Arthir Murady about a year ago. Records show Murady lives in Fort Worth and owns a security company in North Texas.
"He came to visit, yeah because he tried to take business from us in Dallas and New Orleans," Abushalbak said. "He wanted to steal our business and came to apologize for it after. He apologized and he left one year ago. That's it."
Sept. 3, 2024
Approximately 12:29 p.m.
According to the court document, Husseini and Murady had what appeared to be a "cordial" conversation that lasted several minutes in a parking lot near the victim's security company on South Gessner near Richmond. This was about 10 to 15 minutes before the shooting. Husseini's dashcam then showed them shaking hands before both men drove away and Husseini headed to his job at Precinct 4.
12:39 p.m.
- Flock license plate readers showed Murady following Husseini as he drove east on Richmond. It's not clear if Husseini noticed he was behind him but the flock cameras showed him repeatedly looking in his rearview mirror as both vehicles drove approximately 1.3 miles.
- Deanna Carraway was also driving eastbound on Richmond Avenue that afternoon. She told HPD homicide detectives that she noticed Murady's gray Chevy Impala because it had a rusty bumper and the muffler was dragging and making noise.
12:44 p.m.
Carraway, Husseini and Murady stopped at a red light on Richmond Avenue near Fondren about a mile from Husseini's security business.
Husseini's dashcam showed the gunman walk up to the driver's side of his Jaguar and open fire, shooting the victim four times.
Carraway said Murady made eye contact with her before getting back into his vehicle and moving it to a parking lot.
12:45 p.m.
A man is seen running from the parking lot back to the victim's vehicle. Husseini's dashcam shows the gunman firing several more shots through the passenger side window before driving away.
"I was feeling terrible, I was feeling scared, I thought he was going to come back and shoot me because I was a witness," Carraway told us. "This guy didn’t care about nobody’s life, he wasn’t concerned about anything, he had a very focused look like he was sent to do a job and he was going to complete that job."
Carraway said it all happened in less than a minute.
12:46 p.m.
Ring video shows people approaching the victim's vehicle and witnesses called 911.
Several HPD and Houston Fire Department crews responded to the scene where they found Husseini in his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital.
Carraway and other witnesses were able to provide a detailed description of the killer and his vehicle. HPD put out a BOLO (Be on the Lookout) alert to area law enforcement.
Approximately 12:50 p.m.
Donna Lott, a criminal intelligence analyst with HPD began checking Flock license plate readers in the area of the shooting and saw the shooter's gray Chevy Impala with a loose muffler dragging and a Michigan license plate on several cameras. The vehicle description and license plate number were broadcast to other law enforcement agencies.
Flock cameras later indicated Husseini's vehicle was in League City and local, state and federal agencies were notified.
1:14 p.m.
Husseini was pronounced dead at Ben Taub. The medical examiner later said Husseini was shot 13 times, five times in the head and seven times in the upper body.
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz notified Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman about Husseini's death.
2:57 p.m.
Diaz held a news conference where police released a description of the shooter and his vehicle.
3:53 p.m.
Constable Mark Herman held a news conference and said he had just promoted the victim to corporal a week before he was killed. At that point, they weren't releasing Husseini's name because his wife was out of town. Deputies were waiting for her at Bush Intercontinental Airport to deliver the heartbreaking news.
4:12 p.m.
In an interview with KHOU 11 on Wednesday, Sgt. Nick Yeley with the Galveston City Marshal's Office said he spotted the vehicle on Broadway in Galveston just after 4 p.m. and tried to follow it.
“By chance, I happened to look over and I saw the exact vehicle that we were looking for down to the T, descriptors with the hubcaps missing and the sticker on the rear trunk and Michigan license plates. I said, 'Dad, I got to go,’” said Sgt. Nick Yeley with the Galveston Marshal's Office. “And I tossed my phone and I grabbed my city phone and immediately contacted the Galveston Police Department."
Yeley lost sight of the Impala but a Galveston police officer spotted it again on Broadway and tried to pull him over. That led to the chase and wild scene that ended when Murady lost control on 81st and drove off the dead-end street into Galveston Bay. He swam out about 50 yards to get away from officers.
4:53 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Just before 5 p.m., a TranStar camera showed Murady treading water, occasionally raising both arms and waving.
- GPD Officer Fasolino, his partner K9 Dan and other officers rode a boat out to where Murady was and eventually rescued him from the water. They said he resisted arrest so K9 Dan bit him before he was placed in handcuffs.
- Murady was taken to UTMB with dog bites and other minor injuries. He was charged with evading.
- His vehicle was later pulled from the water and searched. GPD said they found an empty revolver speed loader, another revolver speed loader containing 38 specials, a semi-automatic barrel, multiple cellphones and laptops and a duty belt typically used by law enforcement. No guns were recovered.
- Meanwhile, in Houston, dozens of law enforcement officers lined the streets near Ben Taub to salute the fallen corporal and escort his body to the medical examiner's office.
Wednesday, Sept. 4
- Murady was moved to the Galveston County Jail.
- HPD homicide detectives learned Murady was arrested on a traffic offense by Farmers Branch police on Jan. 29, 2024. They used Murady's mug shot in a photo lineup and Deanna Carraway identified him as the man she saw shoot Husseini.
- Law enforcement officers and Husseini's family joined a procession when his flag-draped casket was moved from the medical examiner's office to the funeral home.
Thursday, Sept. 5
Murady was charged with murder in the shooting death of Husseini. He remained in the Galveston County Jail.
Also Thursday, family and friends gathered at a funeral for the fallen corporal at a mosque in Spring.
They're still trying to understand why someone would kill their friend.
"Angel to be honest, very good guy," Abdel Faddh Alqab told us.
"He was an unusual person who had a bigger-than-life personality this guy has it going on. Warm, great listener," Wallace Marsh said.
His co-workers at Precinct 4 also spoke highly of Husseini.
"He had a contagious smile, was a special person," Lt. Danny Garza told us.
Friends say Husseini is a Palestinian who's been in the U.S. for over 30 years. He is survived by a wife and two sons, ages 12 and 15.