Man works to bring cousin’s body home to Afghanistan after grisly Sacramento slaying
Asmaa Ashooqullah had no immediate family members living in the U.S. except her husband, who was arrested Jan. 14 on suspicion of her murder, and their young children.
More than a week after the 32-year-old mother of two was found stabbed to death in her Sacramento home, Ashooqullah’s cousin says he is working with authorities and the courts to ensure safe transfer of custody for the children, who are currently staying with a Valley Hi/North Laguna neighbor, and to arrange to have his cousin’s body returned to Afghanistan for the funeral.
The Sacramento Police Department last week announced the arrest of Asghar Ehsan, 44, in connection with the homicide death of a woman who was found deceased at a residence in the 6700 block of Calvine Road around 3:45 p.m. Jan. 14.
Police said in a news release that the suspect was “known to the victim,” identified days later by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as his wife, Asmaa Ehsan Ashooqullah.
“The body has been transferred to one of the Muslim cemeteries,” Ashooqullah’s cousin, Khyber Hotak, told The Sacramento Bee on Friday via Facebook Messenger. “We are preparing the body to be sent to her home country, Afghanistan. The documents are almost finalized.”
The body will likely be transported next week, Hotak said.
Hotak says he established an online fundraiser on GoFundMe, which went up over the weekend, to pay for funeral expenses and life expenses for Ashooqullah’s parents. The fundraiser met its $50,000 goal in less than a week, drawing more than 1,100 donations in six days.
Hotak on GoFundMe wrote that he is Ashooqullah’s cousin and “the closest relative Asmaa had.” He flew to Sacramento on Monday to get more information about the case, and to sort out logistics involving the custody of Ashooqullah’s 9-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son, he said.
“We were a little concerned about the kids,” Hotak told The Bee. “Kids are in safe hands with a family that they knew from before. It’s something, a matter that’s going to be discussed later in the court, but I can assure everyone kids are safe with a family that they knew before.”
Hotak wrote on GoFundMe that his cousin’s parents in Afghanistan “are very poor, who cannot afford to pay for the funeral expenses of their daughter.”
“I will withdraw the amounts personally, and pay for the expenses as soon as we meet the goal,” Hotak wrote.
In a Facebook post Thursday afternoon, Hotak shared a photo of himself holding Ashooqullah’s two children.
“This should serve as their last image in social media, as the court decides in the weeks and months to come whether to release them to the grandfather who lives in the US, or any other, alternative arrangements,” Hotak wrote. “They are with a family friend and will remain there for the foreseeable future. While we appreciate the out-pour of support for these kids, it is TOO EARLY to be calling for their adoption, so please do not inquire about the issues.”
Ehsan remains in custody at the Sacramento County jail on a charge of murder. He was arraigned last week but did not enter a plea.
Roseville Police Department spokesman Rob Baquera in an emailed statement last week said officers received a be-on-the-lookout alert around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 for an armed homicide suspect, and located a matching suspect vehicle about an hour later.
When officers surrounded the vehicle, Ehsan refused to exit and started to drive away in the direction of officers, prompting one to jump out of the way, Baquera said. That officer was not hurt.
Ehsan then tried to escape on North Sunrise Boulevard, “but hit a City bus and the (suspect) vehicle became disabled,” and was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. One bus passenger reported minor injuries and Ehsan was hospitalized with minor injuries as well, Baquera said.
Sacramento Police officers responding earlier that day to the residence on Calvine Road for a welfare check discovered a woman who had been fatally stabbed. Hotak, on his fundraising page, confirmed that Ashooqullah was stabbed to death.
Ehsan’s next court date is scheduled for March 5.
