1
00:00:08,742 --> 00:00:12,011
[zeena] coming to the u.S.
Was a big change.
2
00:00:12,079 --> 00:00:15,347
Achieving the american dream
was the ultimate goal.
3
00:00:17,350 --> 00:00:21,053
August 18th, 2009,
my dad was supposed to take me
4
00:00:21,121 --> 00:00:24,689
To baltimore, to my
u.S. Citizenship interview.
5
00:00:24,691 --> 00:00:27,893
He's not answering my phone
call. What happens now?
6
00:00:27,961 --> 00:00:30,729
Time goes by,
and I find a ride.
7
00:00:30,731 --> 00:00:34,366
I'm still calling and texting,
but then I'm just like,
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00:00:34,435 --> 00:00:37,236
"okay, I'm going
to do my interview."
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I get home.
The family is home.
10
00:00:41,742 --> 00:00:46,178
And then somehow
now the police is involved.
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00:00:46,246 --> 00:00:49,048
Something happened overnight.
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00:00:49,750 --> 00:00:52,451
And from that second,
everything is just a blur.
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[music]
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00:01:02,196 --> 00:01:07,266
[theme music]
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[muffled scream, gasp]
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[narrator] the nation's capital
is an exciting city full of
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Neighborhoods that each boast
their own unique identity.
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Edgewood, it's the northeast
part of washington d.C.,
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So it's probably about 10 to 15
miles from downtown washington.
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[nicki] edgewood was a very
working-class community
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In the early 2000s.
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It hadn't quite met
gentrification yet,
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So you do have families that
had been there for a while
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And they're still trying
to hold down their blocks.
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Beautiful homes, homes that have
been in families for generations
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That people actually inherited.
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[narrator] at 12:20 pm
on August 18, 2009,
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A metropolitan police officer
is on patrol
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When 32-year-old allaudin rana
approaches him
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About a possible break-in
at his family's business,
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The pizza mart.
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00:02:06,727 --> 00:02:10,261
[kevin] the pizza mart was a
neighborhood staple.
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It was the only 24-hour
marketplace in the area.
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[narrator] allaudin tells the
officer his 44-year-old brother
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Shahabuddin rana, runs the stor
and usually lets him in.
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But earlier that morning,
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His brother never answered the
door, causing allaudin concern.
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[deborah] the door had been
locked, and he couldn't get in.
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He tried calling his brother
and ended up coming to the store
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00:02:39,059 --> 00:02:42,227
And breaking in
with a police officer.
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The officer used a pair of
pliers to force entry
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Inside the place.
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00:02:51,572 --> 00:02:54,606
Immediately when they go inside,
they see it's ransacked.
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It was chaotic.
You can see blood.
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00:02:57,210 --> 00:02:59,644
There clearly had been a
horrific event
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00:02:59,713 --> 00:03:01,680
That had occurred
inside the pizza mart.
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[narrator]
the trail of blood leads them
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00:03:03,550 --> 00:03:06,484
To the back storage room,
where allaudin and the officer
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Make a devastating discovery.
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00:03:10,424 --> 00:03:14,759
Mr. Rana was in plain sight
on the floor, face down.
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00:03:14,828 --> 00:03:18,763
This scene had more blood
than normal because the decedent
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Had been stabbed many times.
He had been beaten.
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00:03:23,671 --> 00:03:27,739
He'd been kicked.
There was blood everywhere.
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00:03:27,808 --> 00:03:31,409
So it's--it's awful for
anyone to walk in on that,
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But somebody you love,
that's pretty horrific.
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The patrolman immediately
calls for medical assistance,
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Immediately calls for backup.
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He needed to get people there
in order to start the process o
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00:03:43,456 --> 00:03:45,057
What's going on.
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00:03:45,125 --> 00:03:50,062
I got the phone call telling me
that there was a homicide
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00:03:50,130 --> 00:03:53,398
And asking me to approve
a search warrant.
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00:03:53,466 --> 00:03:56,134
And I went to go to the scene.
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[narrator] when detectives
begin processing the scene,
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00:03:58,905 --> 00:04:02,040
They determine a struggle
likely ensued in the front
65
00:04:02,108 --> 00:04:06,210
Of the business and ended
in the back storage room.
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00:04:06,212 --> 00:04:10,082
It's obvious that he's fighting
back. There's a struggle.
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00:04:10,150 --> 00:04:12,550
There was blood all over.
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00:04:12,619 --> 00:04:14,586
[mitch] a hundred and four
latent prints were recovered.
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00:04:14,654 --> 00:04:16,387
Blood samples were recovered.
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00:04:16,457 --> 00:04:18,657
The hair was recovered
that was on the scene.
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00:04:18,725 --> 00:04:20,825
There's objects
that was recovered.
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00:04:20,894 --> 00:04:22,927
In a crime scene like this,
you want to take
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As many items as you can.
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[narrator] as detectives
search the storage room,
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00:04:28,669 --> 00:04:32,070
They notice singed debris
around the victim
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00:04:32,072 --> 00:04:34,639
And burn marks on the body.
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00:04:34,708 --> 00:04:39,744
You could tell they tried
to set fire to his body.
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00:04:39,813 --> 00:04:42,013
[mitch] it's obvious there's
burnt marks.
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00:04:42,082 --> 00:04:44,149
You could see the burnt matches.
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00:04:44,217 --> 00:04:48,220
Things were clearly taken
and scattered, um,
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00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:49,687
Throughout the pizza mart.
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00:04:49,689 --> 00:04:52,491
Money was missing
out of the register.
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[mitch] approximately
$2,000 was taken.
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00:04:54,828 --> 00:04:58,863
And also cigarettes were taken
from the establishment as well.
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00:04:58,932 --> 00:05:01,433
[deborah] anybody who went on
that scene, including me,
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00:05:01,501 --> 00:05:06,705
All of us thought
it was a botched robbery.
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00:05:06,773 --> 00:05:07,972
[narrator] when detectives
conclude
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00:05:08,041 --> 00:05:10,074
Their crime scene investigation
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00:05:10,143 --> 00:05:12,911
They step outside and speak wit
allaudin rana
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00:05:12,979 --> 00:05:16,748
To learn more about his brother
shahabuddin.
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00:05:18,519 --> 00:05:22,587
My dad was born in pakistan,
in a place called mianwali.
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00:05:22,589 --> 00:05:26,191
The roads are not the most
decent, almost non-existent.
93
00:05:26,259 --> 00:05:28,760
Educational facilities
aren't there.
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00:05:28,828 --> 00:05:33,165
You can't easily find jobs.
It was not an easy life.
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00:05:33,233 --> 00:05:39,437
He moved to the u.S. Around 199
for opportunities to pursue
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All the dreams that he had.
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[narrator]
a natural entrepreneur,
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00:05:43,676 --> 00:05:47,179
Shahabuddin started off
in the service industry.
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00:05:47,247 --> 00:05:49,948
[zeena] he started working
and learning how to clean thing
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At the restaurant,
how to make food.
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00:05:53,620 --> 00:05:56,721
How could he potentially
run his own business?
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00:05:56,790 --> 00:05:59,491
So just whatever he did,
he wanted to do it
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Really, really well.
My dad was hard working.
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He was like a bulldozer.
He just wouldn't stop.
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00:06:05,899 --> 00:06:09,634
He initially started with
renting the pizza mart.
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00:06:09,636 --> 00:06:12,270
And then at some point,
for a lower cost,
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He was able to purchase it
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00:06:14,274 --> 00:06:16,808
From the people
he was renting it from.
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The pizza mart never closed.
It ran 24 hours.
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Everybody knew him.
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It was a store where if you
didn't have, like, 20 cents,
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00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:27,952
Or a dollar or whatever,
my dad would be like,
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"okay, make sure, you know,
just come back next day."
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00:06:33,093 --> 00:06:37,095
He put his blood, sweat, and
tears into building a landmark
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Business in that neighborhood.
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[narrator] after establishing
his business
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And getting married,
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In 2002, shahabuddin focused
on bringing his daughter
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To the united states.
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I was the only child. I came
here when I was around 10 or 11.
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00:06:57,017 --> 00:07:01,519
I was able to come because
my stepmom sponsored me.
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Coming to the u.S.
Was a big change.
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[narrator] with a wife
and daughter to support,
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00:07:07,860 --> 00:07:10,262
Shahabuddin worked
around the clock.
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00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:12,030
As the business grew,
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He and his family purchased a
home in the maryland suburbs.
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[zeena] my dad did end up buying
his house in silver spring.
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00:07:19,039 --> 00:07:22,707
Achieving the american dream
was the ultimate goal.
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00:07:22,776 --> 00:07:26,278
As time went on, my dad was
always working long hours.
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00:07:26,346 --> 00:07:29,214
So even though he was able
to get the house,
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00:07:29,282 --> 00:07:31,782
Or the store
and things like that,
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He just can't do
everything by himself.
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So he brought in
his family members.
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[narrator] with shahabuddin's
help, his brother, allaudin,
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00:07:41,628 --> 00:07:45,196
Immigrated from pakistan
in 2006.
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They were very close.
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[deborah] it was more
like a father and a son
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00:07:49,469 --> 00:07:51,869
Than a brother and a brother.
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00:07:51,938 --> 00:07:54,338
[mitch] they both worked
very hard, 24 hours a day,
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00:07:54,340 --> 00:07:55,540
7 days a week.
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00:07:55,609 --> 00:07:57,542
One working 12 hours at night,
142
00:07:57,610 --> 00:07:59,544
One working 12 hours
during the day.
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00:07:59,613 --> 00:08:01,379
It's a two-man operation.
144
00:08:01,448 --> 00:08:06,585
And that--that's tiresome,
but chasing that american dream
145
00:08:06,587 --> 00:08:08,820
Requires it at times.
146
00:08:08,888 --> 00:08:11,089
[zeena] he wanted a good life
there for everyone.
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00:08:11,157 --> 00:08:14,525
I think he felt the success
is now finally showing,
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00:08:14,595 --> 00:08:16,695
Or maybe he's finally
getting somewhere.
149
00:08:17,998 --> 00:08:20,364
[narrator]
but less than three years later
150
00:08:20,434 --> 00:08:23,468
Shahabuddin has been
found murdered.
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00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:28,973
With allaudin rana's help,
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00:08:28,975 --> 00:08:31,576
Detectives begin
to build a timeline.
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00:08:33,713 --> 00:08:35,113
Eight o'clock that morning,
154
00:08:35,181 --> 00:08:38,149
Allaudin rana responded
to this pizza mart
155
00:08:38,218 --> 00:08:39,718
In an attempt to get in.
156
00:08:39,786 --> 00:08:42,654
That's the time he normally
arrives there to begin work.
157
00:08:42,722 --> 00:08:44,722
But he could not get in.
158
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He said he didn't have a key.
It was very peculiar that
159
00:08:47,193 --> 00:08:50,161
His brother was not there
to let him in.
160
00:08:50,230 --> 00:08:52,997
[narrator] allaudin tells
detectives that he went home,
161
00:08:53,066 --> 00:08:56,367
Thinking shahabuddin
had done the same.
162
00:08:56,436 --> 00:09:00,538
But when several hours passed
with no word from his brother,
163
00:09:00,607 --> 00:09:04,142
He returned to the store
with police.
164
00:09:04,210 --> 00:09:08,880
He was very upset. It was
difficult for him to speak.
165
00:09:08,949 --> 00:09:12,651
He's a very proud man.
He didn't want to cry.
166
00:09:15,555 --> 00:09:17,688
[narrator]
due to the ransacked store,
167
00:09:17,758 --> 00:09:20,191
Law enforcement's initial
impression of the crime
168
00:09:20,259 --> 00:09:22,226
Looks like a robbery.
169
00:09:22,228 --> 00:09:25,029
But according to allaudin,
late at night,
170
00:09:25,031 --> 00:09:28,132
The front door remained locked,
and employees would assist
171
00:09:28,201 --> 00:09:31,836
Customers through a small
service window.
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00:09:32,372 --> 00:09:34,438
[mitch] the pizza mart is
not a big establishment.
173
00:09:34,508 --> 00:09:36,608
When you walk in,
you have a small area
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00:09:36,676 --> 00:09:38,242
Where customers would stand.
175
00:09:38,311 --> 00:09:40,912
And then the employees
would take the orders.
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No one was allowed
to enter the back part
177
00:09:45,318 --> 00:09:47,918
Where the employees would be,
so there was always a separation
178
00:09:47,988 --> 00:09:50,755
Between customer and employees.
179
00:09:50,824 --> 00:09:53,725
[narrator] as detectives
process this new information,
180
00:09:53,793 --> 00:09:56,895
A different theory emerges.
181
00:09:56,963 --> 00:09:58,830
[mitch]
well, there's no forced entry.
182
00:09:58,898 --> 00:10:01,465
You're not going to
allow a robber to come in.
183
00:10:01,535 --> 00:10:03,535
So therefore, right then it's
telling you the perpetrators
184
00:10:03,603 --> 00:10:06,270
Are someone that he knows.
185
00:10:06,272 --> 00:10:07,605
[narrator] coming up...
186
00:10:07,674 --> 00:10:11,308
Detectives investigate
someone close to home.
187
00:10:11,378 --> 00:10:14,846
Why did you wait so long
to contact the police?
188
00:10:14,914 --> 00:10:19,850
All that kind of stuff makes you
think that it was an inside job.
189
00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,253
[narrator]
and a secret romance
190
00:10:22,322 --> 00:10:25,723
Will give authorities
a new name to consider.
191
00:10:25,792 --> 00:10:27,992
He would do anything for her.
192
00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:31,129
I don't think that he knew what
he was getting his self into.
193
00:10:31,197 --> 00:10:33,231
[kevin]
they were an explosive couple.
194
00:10:33,299 --> 00:10:35,133
I don't think the crime
would have happened
195
00:10:35,201 --> 00:10:37,268
Without the passion
that they had.
196
00:10:39,072 --> 00:10:41,039
[music]
197
00:10:49,716 --> 00:10:51,850
[narrator] hours into the d.C.
Investigation of
198
00:10:51,918 --> 00:10:56,320
Shahabuddin rana's murder,
his autopsy gets underway,
199
00:10:56,389 --> 00:10:59,257
Leading to more revelations
about the brutality
200
00:10:59,325 --> 00:11:01,292
Of the crime.
201
00:11:01,361 --> 00:11:03,595
[mitch] the cause of death
was determined to be
202
00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:05,697
Multiple lacerations
to the body,
203
00:11:05,765 --> 00:11:07,398
At least 12 stab wounds.
204
00:11:07,467 --> 00:11:08,999
We have the burn marks.
205
00:11:09,001 --> 00:11:10,735
And we have blunt force trauma
to the head,
206
00:11:10,804 --> 00:11:13,171
Which was obviously made
by a hard object.
207
00:11:16,176 --> 00:11:17,875
With robberies
of establishments,
208
00:11:17,944 --> 00:11:21,545
The goal of the suspects,
to get in and to get out.
209
00:11:21,547 --> 00:11:25,349
This particular crime scene,
it's obvious a lot was going on
210
00:11:25,351 --> 00:11:29,888
For a period of time. It's not
we go in, we rob, we get out.
211
00:11:29,956 --> 00:11:32,290
[narrator] despite the fact
that a robbery has occurred
212
00:11:32,358 --> 00:11:36,027
Inside the store, detectives
believe that shahabuddin was
213
00:11:36,096 --> 00:11:40,364
Specifically targeted while
he worked the late-night shift.
214
00:11:40,366 --> 00:11:41,866
Looking at the victim,
it was a crime of passion.
215
00:11:41,934 --> 00:11:43,101
I mean, it's personal.
216
00:11:43,169 --> 00:11:46,404
[deborah] we thought it was
someone who knew the store.
217
00:11:46,473 --> 00:11:50,741
The hours that they picked to
hit it, all that kind of stuff,
218
00:11:50,811 --> 00:11:55,246
Makes you think that
it was an inside job.
219
00:11:55,248 --> 00:11:57,816
[narrator] to learn more about
shahabuddin's inner circle
220
00:11:57,884 --> 00:12:00,518
And who in his life might have
the means and motive
221
00:12:00,587 --> 00:12:03,020
To commit such a brazen crime,
222
00:12:03,089 --> 00:12:07,158
Police turn their attention
to his family.
223
00:12:07,227 --> 00:12:09,794
The police came to the house,
and now there's, like,
224
00:12:09,863 --> 00:12:12,930
A victim's rights advocate
that I'm talking to.
225
00:12:12,999 --> 00:12:16,601
And I'm informed that he's dead.
226
00:12:17,637 --> 00:12:20,638
So yeah, you don't expect that.
227
00:12:22,408 --> 00:12:24,108
We were in disbelief.
228
00:12:24,176 --> 00:12:26,177
They asked us, can we think of
anybody that would've wanted
229
00:12:26,246 --> 00:12:28,012
To harm my dad?
230
00:12:28,081 --> 00:12:30,948
We just couldn't
come up with anybody.
231
00:12:31,017 --> 00:12:32,450
I don't know what happened.
232
00:12:32,519 --> 00:12:36,454
We just could not understand
why or how
233
00:12:36,522 --> 00:12:40,725
He opened the door for somebody.
That was the biggest question.
234
00:12:40,793 --> 00:12:44,662
That was never even supposed
to be my dad's shift to cover.
235
00:12:45,599 --> 00:12:46,864
[narrator]
according to the family,
236
00:12:46,866 --> 00:12:50,768
Shahabuddin's brother, allaudin
is the only other employee
237
00:12:50,837 --> 00:12:53,371
Who would cover
the late-night shift.
238
00:12:53,439 --> 00:12:58,643
But the family is adamant
allaudin would never hurt him.
239
00:13:00,813 --> 00:13:02,847
Allaudin was very helpful
to the detectives,
240
00:13:02,915 --> 00:13:06,317
But there was still a looming
question about the amount of
241
00:13:06,386 --> 00:13:09,520
Time that had passed between
finding out that he couldn't
242
00:13:09,589 --> 00:13:14,558
Get inside the pizza mart
and finally contacting police.
243
00:13:14,627 --> 00:13:16,928
[mitch] in this situation,
the brother arrives there
244
00:13:16,996 --> 00:13:18,462
At 8 o'clock in the morning,
245
00:13:18,464 --> 00:13:21,999
Does not flag down the police
until four or five hours later.
246
00:13:22,068 --> 00:13:26,237
Why did you wait so long
to contact the police?
247
00:13:26,506 --> 00:13:28,172
[keith] it was unusual that
he did not have a key.
248
00:13:28,241 --> 00:13:31,142
He worked there.
He was the brother of the owner.
249
00:13:31,211 --> 00:13:36,080
Why would you not have a key?
That was a little suspicious.
250
00:13:36,148 --> 00:13:40,284
Detectives have to look at
everyone who could be associate
251
00:13:40,286 --> 00:13:44,956
With a crime scene or a victim,
so looking at mr. Allaudin rana
252
00:13:45,024 --> 00:13:48,693
As a possible suspect
is not unusual.
253
00:13:51,230 --> 00:13:54,131
[narrator] forty-eight hours
into the investigation,
254
00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,502
Detectives ask allaudin to come
in for a formal interview.
255
00:13:58,571 --> 00:14:00,904
When pressed about the fact
that the perpetrator
256
00:14:00,906 --> 00:14:03,407
Was clearly known
to shahabuddin,
257
00:14:03,476 --> 00:14:07,946
Allaudin swears that he would
never hurt his older brother.
258
00:14:08,014 --> 00:14:10,714
He reiterates that
shahabuddin held the only key
259
00:14:10,716 --> 00:14:12,049
To the business.
260
00:14:12,118 --> 00:14:15,619
[mitch] the normal course of
activity for him is to show up.
261
00:14:15,689 --> 00:14:17,455
He gets in.
His brother leaves.
262
00:14:17,523 --> 00:14:19,791
He's there all day.
At night, his brother comes.
263
00:14:19,859 --> 00:14:21,492
It's like a routine-type thing.
264
00:14:21,561 --> 00:14:23,194
If you think about it,
there's really no need
265
00:14:23,263 --> 00:14:26,630
For him to even have a key
'cause his brother's there.
266
00:14:26,632 --> 00:14:30,501
He claimed that he was home
on the night of the murder.
267
00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:33,337
[narrator] without any evidence
connecting him to the crime,
268
00:14:33,339 --> 00:14:36,074
Detectives release allaudin.
269
00:14:37,443 --> 00:14:39,878
However, as police
continue digging into
270
00:14:39,946 --> 00:14:43,147
Allaudin's background,
they discover the recent
271
00:14:43,149 --> 00:14:48,018
Immigrant and his wife,
26-year-old shanika robinson
272
00:14:48,020 --> 00:14:51,755
Are under investigation
for marriage fraud.
273
00:14:51,757 --> 00:14:54,558
[kevin] shanika robinson was
a washington, d.C. Native.
274
00:14:54,627 --> 00:14:59,097
Her family, the robinson family,
was from the edgewood area.
275
00:14:59,099 --> 00:15:02,433
And they had a home near
where the pizza mart was.
276
00:15:02,435 --> 00:15:04,935
That's when she
and allaudin rana
277
00:15:05,005 --> 00:15:08,973
Got to know each other,
because she was a customer.
278
00:15:10,977 --> 00:15:16,780
Shanika is amazing.
Honestly, she's--she's amazing.
279
00:15:16,782 --> 00:15:20,518
She's smart, funny.
280
00:15:20,586 --> 00:15:24,055
She will try to do whatever she
can just to get you to smile.
281
00:15:24,123 --> 00:15:28,692
Shanika, she was determined.
She had two jobs.
282
00:15:28,762 --> 00:15:31,095
She worked at the post office,
but she was no stranger to
283
00:15:31,164 --> 00:15:32,997
Making money on the side.
284
00:15:33,065 --> 00:15:36,233
In fact, she was very talented
with doing hair.
285
00:15:36,302 --> 00:15:40,772
[keith] shanika wanted to be
more than a cosmetologist
286
00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,773
Or a post office worker.
287
00:15:42,775 --> 00:15:47,378
She really had this sort of
charisma of that I want to
288
00:15:47,447 --> 00:15:51,482
Live a life larger
than what I'm living now.
289
00:15:51,551 --> 00:15:56,954
The family was poor.
No one went to college.
290
00:15:57,023 --> 00:16:01,826
No one had a good-paying job.
They struggled.
291
00:16:06,766 --> 00:16:08,532
[narrator]
shanika was also caring
292
00:16:08,601 --> 00:16:12,336
For a terminally ill sister,
so she invited her,
293
00:16:12,405 --> 00:16:16,975
Her cousin shawn, and her
brother leon to live with her.
294
00:16:17,043 --> 00:16:20,178
[shawn] shanika was loving
and super caring.
295
00:16:20,246 --> 00:16:24,315
She was trying to be a caretaker
296
00:16:24,383 --> 00:16:27,151
Slash protector for her family.
297
00:16:28,688 --> 00:16:31,889
One of the people in the house
is her younger brother, leon.
298
00:16:31,957 --> 00:16:34,558
And he's fresh out of prison.
299
00:16:34,627 --> 00:16:37,395
[kevin] leon had gone to prison
right after high school ,
300
00:16:37,463 --> 00:16:43,001
After his mother's boyfriend had
attacked his mother with a pipe.
301
00:16:43,069 --> 00:16:46,504
And leon defended her
and attacked the boyfriend
302
00:16:46,572 --> 00:16:49,340
And spent nearly
nine years in prison.
303
00:16:49,409 --> 00:16:52,576
So her little brother has a
place to stay in her house.
304
00:16:52,645 --> 00:16:55,446
And you can imagine that
he's very grateful.
305
00:16:55,515 --> 00:16:59,384
They were always together.
You would think they were twins.
306
00:17:02,088 --> 00:17:03,954
[narrator]
despite her best efforts,
307
00:17:04,023 --> 00:17:08,492
Shanika had recently fallen
on hard times.
308
00:17:08,561 --> 00:17:13,330
2008 was pretty rough for most
of us, so she was laid off.
309
00:17:13,399 --> 00:17:16,300
In her search for
some other income,
310
00:17:16,369 --> 00:17:19,637
She went into the pizza mart
looking for work.
311
00:17:19,705 --> 00:17:23,240
[narrator] in early 2008,
shanika's determination and lov
312
00:17:23,309 --> 00:17:28,445
For her family quickly caught
the attention of allaudin rana.
313
00:17:28,514 --> 00:17:30,881
That relationship led
to them getting married
314
00:17:30,883 --> 00:17:34,117
In October of 2008.
315
00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:38,289
[kevin] the marriage would pave
the way for allaudin to become
316
00:17:38,357 --> 00:17:41,192
A naturalized american citizen.
317
00:17:43,696 --> 00:17:47,698
[narrator] but on July 22nd,
nine months into their marriage
318
00:17:47,767 --> 00:17:51,502
Allaudin's citizenship case
had been flagged.
319
00:17:51,571 --> 00:17:53,737
[mitch] we learned that
a month before the murder,
320
00:17:53,739 --> 00:17:58,308
Allaudin and shanika went to
immigration for the interview.
321
00:17:58,378 --> 00:17:59,911
[nicki]
they put them in separate rooms
322
00:17:59,979 --> 00:18:02,279
And they asked them
similar questions.
323
00:18:02,348 --> 00:18:05,349
Things like, where did
they go their wedding night?
324
00:18:05,418 --> 00:18:07,351
Where did they spend
their honeymoon?
325
00:18:07,420 --> 00:18:10,588
Where do they currently live?
Do they even live together?
326
00:18:10,590 --> 00:18:13,424
And a lot of the information
was conflicting.
327
00:18:13,493 --> 00:18:15,959
He didn't know what
she ate for breakfast.
328
00:18:15,961 --> 00:18:19,597
She didn't know what
he ate for breakfast.
329
00:18:19,665 --> 00:18:23,201
Officials from the immigration
and naturalization department
330
00:18:23,203 --> 00:18:25,569
Became suspicious.
331
00:18:25,638 --> 00:18:28,205
[keith] they weren't convinced
that this couple was actually
332
00:18:28,274 --> 00:18:31,542
A real husband and wife.
333
00:18:31,611 --> 00:18:35,079
Remember, we're in washington,
d.C. This is not unusual.
334
00:18:35,147 --> 00:18:37,314
They are familiar
with these types of tactics.
335
00:18:37,383 --> 00:18:40,250
And these type of games,
if you will, that people play
336
00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,121
To become u.S. Citizens.
337
00:18:44,891 --> 00:18:47,458
[kevin] following the interview,
there was a letter that was sen
338
00:18:47,526 --> 00:18:51,662
Out from immigration
to shanika and to allaudin
339
00:18:51,664 --> 00:18:54,165
Saying that further
investigation
340
00:18:54,233 --> 00:18:56,567
Would be necessary.
341
00:18:56,569 --> 00:18:59,570
[narrator] if the investigation
yielded sufficient evidence,
342
00:18:59,639 --> 00:19:02,706
Shanika could face up
to five years in prison
343
00:19:02,775 --> 00:19:06,244
And a $250,000 fine,
344
00:19:06,312 --> 00:19:09,913
While allaudin
could face deportation.
345
00:19:09,983 --> 00:19:12,816
Given how much shahabuddin
wanted his brother to remain
346
00:19:12,885 --> 00:19:16,920
In america, detectives
wonder if this information
347
00:19:16,922 --> 00:19:19,991
Could be relevant to their case
348
00:19:20,059 --> 00:19:23,227
[mitch] in investigations where
suspects are not known,
349
00:19:23,296 --> 00:19:27,365
You look into any and everything
that raises a red flag.
350
00:19:27,367 --> 00:19:29,567
And in this situation,
where there is issues with
351
00:19:29,635 --> 00:19:33,837
His marriage to a local girl--
is it a sham?
352
00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:35,673
Is it real?
353
00:19:35,741 --> 00:19:38,175
At this point,
detectives knew they had
354
00:19:38,244 --> 00:19:40,711
To go talk to shanika robinson.
355
00:19:41,781 --> 00:19:44,315
[music]
356
00:19:47,819 --> 00:19:49,587
[music]
357
00:19:51,190 --> 00:19:52,556
[narrator]
while investigating the murder
358
00:19:52,625 --> 00:19:55,859
Of local business owner
shahabuddin rana,
359
00:19:55,928 --> 00:19:58,796
Detectives in washington, d.C.
Have discovered that
360
00:19:58,864 --> 00:20:02,466
His brother, allaudin,
is already under investigation
361
00:20:02,535 --> 00:20:04,868
For possible marriage fraud.
362
00:20:04,937 --> 00:20:07,338
At this particular point,
you really can't say this is
363
00:20:07,406 --> 00:20:11,275
Something that may be connected
to the homicide,
364
00:20:11,344 --> 00:20:14,745
But it's something you most
definitely cannot ignore.
365
00:20:14,814 --> 00:20:17,548
[narrator] unable to immediately
track down allaudin's wife,
366
00:20:17,617 --> 00:20:20,484
Shanika robinson,
for questioning,
367
00:20:20,553 --> 00:20:22,286
The metropolitan
police department
368
00:20:22,355 --> 00:20:26,557
Issues a press release
and a $25,000 reward
369
00:20:26,626 --> 00:20:30,728
For information leading
to shahabuddin's killer.
370
00:20:32,098 --> 00:20:35,766
Not long after the
$25,000 reward is offered,
371
00:20:35,835 --> 00:20:38,836
A woman comes forward.
372
00:20:38,904 --> 00:20:42,639
She's identifying herself as
the cousin of shanika robinson.
373
00:20:42,708 --> 00:20:45,676
And boy, does she have
a story to tell.
374
00:20:46,679 --> 00:20:49,380
[narrator] shanika's cousin
shawn confirms authorities'
375
00:20:49,448 --> 00:20:53,184
Suspicions that shanika's
relationship to allaudin rana
376
00:20:53,252 --> 00:20:56,654
Is in fact a marriage of
immigration convenience,
377
00:20:56,722 --> 00:20:59,590
But she claims that
shahabuddin was the one
378
00:20:59,658 --> 00:21:02,459
Who put the plan together.
379
00:21:02,528 --> 00:21:05,328
[shawn] shanika,
she called her husband rana.
380
00:21:05,330 --> 00:21:09,132
Rana's brother is the one
who approached shanika
381
00:21:09,202 --> 00:21:11,602
At the pizza mart.
382
00:21:11,670 --> 00:21:15,739
She claimed shahabuddin rana
had approached her with a plan
383
00:21:15,808 --> 00:21:18,409
To help his brother
remain in this country
384
00:21:18,477 --> 00:21:21,812
And offered her $500 per week
385
00:21:21,881 --> 00:21:25,116
To simply conduct
a sham marriage,
386
00:21:25,184 --> 00:21:28,018
Initially with no intimacy,
387
00:21:28,087 --> 00:21:31,288
But simply to go to
immigration meetings
388
00:21:31,357 --> 00:21:33,957
With his younger brother
and to help his younger brother
389
00:21:33,959 --> 00:21:36,160
Remain in the united states.
390
00:21:42,267 --> 00:21:43,634
[narrator]
despite allaudin knowing
391
00:21:43,702 --> 00:21:46,503
This was a business arrangement
392
00:21:46,572 --> 00:21:49,773
Shawn believes allaudin
agreed to it with the hopes
393
00:21:49,775 --> 00:21:53,710
That an authentic relationship
could blossom.
394
00:21:53,779 --> 00:21:56,046
[shawn] when he came over,
he was so soft spoken.
395
00:21:56,115 --> 00:21:59,783
He liked her. You could tell he
was trying to get to know her.
396
00:21:59,785 --> 00:22:02,053
Like how people are thrown in
arranged marriages,
397
00:22:02,121 --> 00:22:04,855
And they basically are forced
to get to know one another,
398
00:22:04,924 --> 00:22:06,357
That wasn't the case.
399
00:22:06,425 --> 00:22:11,462
It was him more so
trying than her.
400
00:22:11,530 --> 00:22:13,931
You could tell
she didn't like him.
401
00:22:14,533 --> 00:22:15,933
[narrator] according to shawn,
402
00:22:16,001 --> 00:22:19,470
Allaudin and shanika
would meet up once a week.
403
00:22:19,538 --> 00:22:22,005
[shawn] he comes over on sundays
for, like, I think,
404
00:22:22,007 --> 00:22:25,542
Four hours.
And she gets this benefit.
405
00:22:25,611 --> 00:22:29,313
Her rent is taken care of,
and she got her pocket money.
406
00:22:30,816 --> 00:22:34,618
[narrator] shawn claims shanika
was willing to marry allaudin,
407
00:22:34,687 --> 00:22:37,621
But she wasn't willing to give
up her boyfriend,
408
00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:42,425
25-year-old
isiah "ike" genus.
409
00:22:42,427 --> 00:22:44,628
[shawn] she loves money.
She loves guys,
410
00:22:44,630 --> 00:22:47,898
A lot of guys,
a lot of different guys.
411
00:22:47,967 --> 00:22:49,633
[nicki]
she let shahabuddin know,
412
00:22:49,635 --> 00:22:52,402
"hey, I actually
have a boyfriend."
413
00:22:52,472 --> 00:22:53,571
He's like,
"oh, don't worry about that,
414
00:22:53,573 --> 00:22:55,005
Don't worry about that,
I got you."
415
00:22:55,074 --> 00:22:57,574
So it didn't seem like there
was an issue that, you know,
416
00:22:57,643 --> 00:23:01,178
She had this boyfriend
already in her life.
417
00:23:01,914 --> 00:23:03,714
[narrator] shawn tells
detectives that shortly
418
00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:06,884
Before her arranged marriage
to allaudin rana,
419
00:23:06,952 --> 00:23:11,722
Shanika and isiah
began dating in 2008.
420
00:23:11,790 --> 00:23:13,457
[kevin] they had gone
to school together.
421
00:23:13,526 --> 00:23:16,327
Started off a
platonic relationship,
422
00:23:16,395 --> 00:23:18,829
Which developed into
an intimate relationship.
423
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,201
They had a very
passionate relationship
424
00:23:24,269 --> 00:23:26,236
That was very volatile.
425
00:23:26,305 --> 00:23:29,473
Ike was extremely
protective of shanika.
426
00:23:29,542 --> 00:23:31,875
While shanika and ike
were a couple,
427
00:23:31,944 --> 00:23:34,945
It wasn't a mutually
exclusive relationship.
428
00:23:35,014 --> 00:23:37,047
It was one of those where
shanika was dating whoever
429
00:23:37,116 --> 00:23:39,783
She wanted to outside of him.
430
00:23:39,852 --> 00:23:43,420
And he wasn't always too
in love with that idea.
431
00:23:43,489 --> 00:23:45,489
[kevin] shanika found it easy
to attract men.
432
00:23:45,558 --> 00:23:48,258
She had kept her appearance
up very well.
433
00:23:48,260 --> 00:23:52,329
And she had a personality
where she could deal with
434
00:23:52,397 --> 00:23:54,565
Almost anybody.
435
00:23:54,633 --> 00:23:58,035
There was fights, jealousy
between shanika and ike,
436
00:23:58,103 --> 00:24:01,571
But it was obvious they--
they did love each other.
437
00:24:01,573 --> 00:24:03,774
[shawn] he would do anything
for shanika.
438
00:24:03,842 --> 00:24:06,477
Like, she say, "jump".
"how high?"
439
00:24:06,545 --> 00:24:08,845
You know what I mean?
Like, for the most part,
440
00:24:08,914 --> 00:24:12,183
Whatever she says was law
as far as with him.
441
00:24:12,785 --> 00:24:14,718
[narrator] in August 2009,
442
00:24:14,787 --> 00:24:19,789
Isiah was spending most
of his time at shanika's home.
443
00:24:19,859 --> 00:24:21,525
He's staying at the house,
you know what I mean?
444
00:24:21,594 --> 00:24:24,962
Getting loved on.
He was her boy toy.
445
00:24:26,899 --> 00:24:29,867
[narrator] but shawn claims that
isiah and shanika's relationshi
446
00:24:29,935 --> 00:24:34,204
Had escalated to new heights,
and reveals that she was privy
447
00:24:34,273 --> 00:24:38,509
To their planning of
shahabuddin rana's murder.
448
00:24:38,577 --> 00:24:41,311
She was like,
"you're gonna be our alibi."
449
00:24:41,380 --> 00:24:43,047
I'm like, "alibi?"
450
00:24:43,049 --> 00:24:47,017
Leon found out that I knew
about what they were gonna do.
451
00:24:47,086 --> 00:24:48,986
And him telling her that
they were gonna eventually
452
00:24:49,054 --> 00:24:52,355
Have to get rid of me.
I was terrified.
453
00:24:52,425 --> 00:24:55,626
I came forward to save my life.
454
00:24:56,095 --> 00:25:00,697
She said that shanika and two
other men were at the pizza mart
455
00:25:00,766 --> 00:25:02,633
The night of this murder.
456
00:25:02,701 --> 00:25:07,470
And the two men was leon,
which is shanika's brother,
457
00:25:07,472 --> 00:25:11,108
And her boyfriend, ike.
458
00:25:11,176 --> 00:25:13,544
They, in fact,
had something to do
459
00:25:13,612 --> 00:25:16,880
With the death
of shahabuddin rana.
460
00:25:16,949 --> 00:25:19,983
This was the break
that detectives needed.
461
00:25:20,052 --> 00:25:24,187
It was the first time that
they were able to put someone
462
00:25:24,256 --> 00:25:28,726
Or someones in the pizza mart
the night the victim was killed.
463
00:25:30,295 --> 00:25:32,463
[music]
464
00:25:39,571 --> 00:25:41,738
[narrator] ten days after
shahabuddin rana
465
00:25:41,807 --> 00:25:45,843
Was brutally murdered inside
his d.C. Pizzeria,
466
00:25:45,911 --> 00:25:49,980
A witness has come forward
implicating shanika robinson,
467
00:25:50,049 --> 00:25:52,816
Shanika's boyfriend,
isiah genus,
468
00:25:52,818 --> 00:25:56,654
And shanika's brother,
leon robinson, in the crime.
469
00:25:58,257 --> 00:26:01,391
Detectives asked the cousin,
why does she believe
470
00:26:01,460 --> 00:26:03,460
That they were involved?
471
00:26:03,528 --> 00:26:07,197
She told them how she saw them
take some items out to the
472
00:26:07,199 --> 00:26:10,768
Fire pit in the rear of the
house and began burning items.
473
00:26:14,239 --> 00:26:16,039
[narrator] detectives learn
that in the days since
474
00:26:16,041 --> 00:26:19,710
Shahabuddin's murder,
shanika has resurfaced
475
00:26:19,778 --> 00:26:23,046
And begun picking up shifts
at the request of her husband
476
00:26:23,115 --> 00:26:27,117
And shahabuddin's brother,
allaudin rana.
477
00:26:27,186 --> 00:26:31,088
Shanika was currently
working at the pizza mart.
478
00:26:31,156 --> 00:26:33,924
So they went to her and asked
her to come in for questioning.
479
00:26:33,992 --> 00:26:37,561
She had no problem going down
to talk to the detectives.
480
00:26:39,698 --> 00:26:42,566
Shanika was confronted
with what they knew.
481
00:26:42,634 --> 00:26:46,136
She admitted that she was
involved in a sham marriage,
482
00:26:46,205 --> 00:26:48,972
Receiving the payments.
483
00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,642
She tearfully talks about
how she got into this
484
00:26:51,710 --> 00:26:56,079
Because she had lost her job,
um, at the post office.
485
00:26:56,148 --> 00:26:58,816
She said this was a way
of survival for her
486
00:26:58,884 --> 00:27:00,684
Until she was able to get
back on her feet.
487
00:27:00,753 --> 00:27:03,654
It was only supposed to last
for a certain amount of months
488
00:27:03,722 --> 00:27:06,724
Until mr. Rana was able
to get his green card.
489
00:27:09,228 --> 00:27:11,762
[narrator] shanika outlines
that she and allaudin married
490
00:27:11,830 --> 00:27:15,165
On October 31, 2008.
491
00:27:15,234 --> 00:27:19,636
[mitch] and the whole idea
of this was just to show
492
00:27:19,704 --> 00:27:22,139
The appearance of that
there was a marriage,
493
00:27:22,207 --> 00:27:25,008
Even though they were living
in separate locations.
494
00:27:25,076 --> 00:27:29,312
Shahabuddin began to have
concern that the marriage
495
00:27:29,314 --> 00:27:31,047
Didn't appear to be real.
496
00:27:31,116 --> 00:27:34,051
The scrutiny from the
immigration department
497
00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,753
Increased.
498
00:27:36,822 --> 00:27:38,054
[nicki]
she told the detectives
499
00:27:38,123 --> 00:27:39,823
That by the time
January rolled around,
500
00:27:39,892 --> 00:27:42,493
A lot of things seemed to
have shifted with shahabuddin
501
00:27:42,561 --> 00:27:44,127
And this deal that
they had brokered,
502
00:27:44,129 --> 00:27:46,529
Because now he's looking at her
and saying,
503
00:27:46,531 --> 00:27:50,033
I need you to
consummate this marriage.
504
00:27:50,102 --> 00:27:51,735
[shawn] she literally didn't
want to do it.
505
00:27:51,803 --> 00:27:54,337
And she was trying to come up
with every excuse in the world
506
00:27:54,339 --> 00:27:56,773
Not to do it.
507
00:27:56,842 --> 00:27:59,943
[mitch] she felt
as though that was her
508
00:28:00,012 --> 00:28:02,079
Being treated like a prostitute
509
00:28:02,147 --> 00:28:03,781
She began doing that.
510
00:28:03,783 --> 00:28:05,716
And it was something that
she really didn't want to do.
511
00:28:05,784 --> 00:28:08,885
But in order for her to continue
to receive the money,
512
00:28:08,954 --> 00:28:10,954
She had to go along
with the plan.
513
00:28:11,023 --> 00:28:15,826
She gets paid, like, $2,000
a month just to basically
514
00:28:15,894 --> 00:28:18,996
Have sex with her husband
every Sunday,
515
00:28:19,064 --> 00:28:22,299
And she gets this benefit.
516
00:28:22,367 --> 00:28:25,235
[narrator] according to shanika,
allaudin began to develop
517
00:28:25,304 --> 00:28:27,804
Real feelings for her.
518
00:28:27,806 --> 00:28:30,207
I think he actually loved her.
519
00:28:30,275 --> 00:28:33,243
It was more so her, "I gotta do
this so I can get this money."
520
00:28:33,312 --> 00:28:37,247
And him being oblivious
to all of that, I--I'm seriously
521
00:28:37,316 --> 00:28:40,250
Thinking that he was,
he was thinking that she was
522
00:28:40,319 --> 00:28:42,886
On, like, the same page.
523
00:28:42,954 --> 00:28:45,823
I think it was a coming
to america gone wrong.
524
00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:49,326
[narrator] shanika claims that
allaudin soon began to resent
525
00:28:49,394 --> 00:28:55,165
Their arrangement and her
relationship with isiah genus.
526
00:28:55,234 --> 00:28:59,536
He had complained to his older
brother that he was always there
527
00:28:59,604 --> 00:29:02,138
When he went to see shanika.
528
00:29:02,341 --> 00:29:05,275
[narrator] shanika tells
detectives that in may of 2009,
529
00:29:05,344 --> 00:29:08,811
She received surprising news.
530
00:29:08,813 --> 00:29:11,915
What changed everything
was when
531
00:29:11,984 --> 00:29:15,118
Shanika became pregnant.
532
00:29:15,186 --> 00:29:18,088
Shanika told allaudin
that she was pregnant,
533
00:29:18,156 --> 00:29:21,224
But she eventually had
had a miscarriage.
534
00:29:21,293 --> 00:29:24,127
[shawn] at the same time,
she still had other male
535
00:29:24,196 --> 00:29:27,898
Sexual partners and males that
she was spending time with.
536
00:29:27,966 --> 00:29:31,234
Her husband was extremely
upset about that.
537
00:29:31,236 --> 00:29:33,636
[mitch] I mean, he's acting like
he's really her husband.
538
00:29:33,706 --> 00:29:36,373
She's out here screwing around
with other guys.
539
00:29:36,441 --> 00:29:38,341
[kevin] he was complaining to
his brother that there were
540
00:29:38,410 --> 00:29:42,445
Times that he wanted to spend
quality time with shanika
541
00:29:42,447 --> 00:29:43,846
And he couldn't do it
542
00:29:43,848 --> 00:29:47,151
Because shanika had another
boyfriend around her.
543
00:29:47,987 --> 00:29:50,721
Shahabuddin exploded.
544
00:29:51,857 --> 00:29:55,125
He was upset, and he, um,
told shanika that he would stop
545
00:29:55,194 --> 00:29:59,863
The payments immediately unless
shanika cleaned up her act.
546
00:29:59,932 --> 00:30:05,802
Rana's brother called shanika,
leaning on her about her
547
00:30:05,871 --> 00:30:08,138
Having sex with
these multiple men.
548
00:30:08,207 --> 00:30:11,508
And that's not what
he was paying her for.
549
00:30:11,577 --> 00:30:13,610
[narrator] shanika explains
that the breaking point came
550
00:30:13,679 --> 00:30:18,515
Two months later, after the
couple's disastrous interview
551
00:30:18,583 --> 00:30:22,119
With immigration officials
in July.
552
00:30:23,421 --> 00:30:26,122
The way that she was dressed the
day of the meeting was a problem
553
00:30:26,191 --> 00:30:29,560
Because it wasn't,
I guess, what they agreed on.
554
00:30:29,628 --> 00:30:34,364
That started the fuel,
so the explosion that happened.
555
00:30:34,433 --> 00:30:37,734
He would call shanika and
basically screamed on her
556
00:30:37,803 --> 00:30:40,771
Or whatever and told her that
he wasn't paying her no more.
557
00:30:40,839 --> 00:30:44,074
He's stopping her money train.
558
00:30:44,142 --> 00:30:47,010
Shanika was trying to work
something out, um, you know,
559
00:30:47,078 --> 00:30:49,079
What can we do?
How can we make this better?
560
00:30:49,147 --> 00:30:51,114
But he was done.
561
00:30:51,183 --> 00:30:55,251
[kevin] she needed that $2,000
a month to pay her rent.
562
00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,254
Otherwise, her family
would be homeless
563
00:30:58,323 --> 00:31:03,126
From the capitol heights
home that she was renting.
564
00:31:03,194 --> 00:31:07,430
Shanika's frustrations grew,
so therefore, ike convinced her
565
00:31:07,499 --> 00:31:10,867
That maybe I should go
talk to him man to man,
566
00:31:10,936 --> 00:31:14,037
But she did not want him to go
because he was a hothead.
567
00:31:17,709 --> 00:31:20,944
[narrator] but shanika
says she eventually relented,
568
00:31:21,013 --> 00:31:25,148
Agreeing to let isiah take
charge of the situation.
569
00:31:25,150 --> 00:31:27,918
Shanika's initial story
is that her and ike
570
00:31:27,986 --> 00:31:31,021
Went to the pizza mart.
Mr. Rana lets them in.
571
00:31:31,089 --> 00:31:34,324
They go inside the pizza mart.
There's an argument.
572
00:31:34,393 --> 00:31:36,226
During the argument,
she leaves out.
573
00:31:36,295 --> 00:31:38,361
She goes to the car.
574
00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:40,096
And then ike comes out.
575
00:31:40,165 --> 00:31:43,366
The next day,
ike gives her $500.
576
00:31:43,368 --> 00:31:46,436
And then later,
she hears about the murder.
577
00:31:46,505 --> 00:31:50,240
[narrator] shanika claims she
considered contacting police,
578
00:31:50,308 --> 00:31:54,110
But she worried what
would happen to isiah.
579
00:31:54,179 --> 00:31:55,846
[mitch] now, detectives know,
580
00:31:55,914 --> 00:31:58,749
Just based on the
condition of the body,
581
00:31:58,817 --> 00:32:01,351
More than one person
is involved.
582
00:32:01,420 --> 00:32:05,354
You're talking stab wounds,
severe damage to the head.
583
00:32:05,356 --> 00:32:07,557
So now they're leaning on her.
They're confronting her
584
00:32:07,559 --> 00:32:12,562
With more about there has
to be another person involved.
585
00:32:12,631 --> 00:32:16,733
[kevin] we didn't believe that
one person had garnered
586
00:32:16,801 --> 00:32:20,503
This much damage
on another human being.
587
00:32:21,573 --> 00:32:24,074
[narrator] while it is clear
that isiah played a role
588
00:32:24,142 --> 00:32:27,810
In shahabuddin's murder,
detectives question shanika
589
00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,147
About her brother
leon's involvement.
590
00:32:31,216 --> 00:32:35,251
Shanika was confronted
with the story that her cousin
591
00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:39,489
Had told the police that
her brother leon was there.
592
00:32:39,558 --> 00:32:43,660
She blames the murder on ike
593
00:32:43,728 --> 00:32:45,796
And an unnamed man.
594
00:32:45,864 --> 00:32:49,065
She won't say it's her brother.
595
00:32:49,134 --> 00:32:53,369
She claimed she waits
for them outside the store.
596
00:32:53,371 --> 00:32:59,041
That they went in the store.
She never entered.
597
00:32:59,043 --> 00:33:02,512
After shanika's interview
with detectives, along with
598
00:33:02,581 --> 00:33:07,650
The information from the cousin,
probable cause was obtained.
599
00:33:07,652 --> 00:33:10,153
An arrest was made.
600
00:33:10,222 --> 00:33:13,457
And shanika was charged
with felony murder.
601
00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,362
[narrator] detectives locate
isiah genus and leon robinson
602
00:33:19,364 --> 00:33:22,165
At their home
in capitol heights
603
00:33:22,234 --> 00:33:25,335
And take them into custody.
604
00:33:25,404 --> 00:33:29,339
Ike and leon were arrested
without incident.
605
00:33:29,408 --> 00:33:32,542
Leon lawyered up
and refused to talk.
606
00:33:32,611 --> 00:33:36,412
Isiah said he didn't know
nothing about nothing.
607
00:33:36,481 --> 00:33:38,548
He wasn't in it.
608
00:33:38,617 --> 00:33:41,951
[narrator] shanika robinson,
isiah genus, and leon robinson'
609
00:33:42,020 --> 00:33:44,554
Fingerprints are compared
to those collected
610
00:33:44,623 --> 00:33:46,489
At the crime scene.
611
00:33:46,491 --> 00:33:49,258
[mitch] naturally, shanika's
fingerprints are gonna be
612
00:33:49,328 --> 00:33:52,162
Inside of the premises
because she worked there.
613
00:33:52,230 --> 00:33:55,231
But ike's also was recovered.
614
00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:57,934
But leon,
no prints were recovered.
615
00:33:58,670 --> 00:34:01,538
[narrator] by the evening of
August 28, 2009,
616
00:34:01,606 --> 00:34:03,940
Metro police execute
a search warrant
617
00:34:04,008 --> 00:34:06,743
On shanika's house
in capitol heights.
618
00:34:06,811 --> 00:34:09,245
[nicki] shanika's cousin had
told the detectives
619
00:34:09,314 --> 00:34:12,114
That the group had discarded
everything from the crime scene
620
00:34:12,116 --> 00:34:14,584
In a fire pit
in the back of the house.
621
00:34:14,653 --> 00:34:18,421
During the search warrant of
the home, in the fire pit area,
622
00:34:18,423 --> 00:34:22,392
There were traces of clothing.
623
00:34:22,461 --> 00:34:25,195
[narrator] while they fail to
recover any murder weapons,
624
00:34:25,263 --> 00:34:28,097
Detectives do find
a damning piece of evidence
625
00:34:28,167 --> 00:34:31,902
In shanika's bedroom--
her diary.
626
00:34:33,472 --> 00:34:38,541
In the diary, what they saw was
a diagram of the pizza mart.
627
00:34:39,411 --> 00:34:42,312
[keith] shanika wrote everything
down in her diary.
628
00:34:42,380 --> 00:34:47,416
Words to the effect that "we can
do this one of two ways."
629
00:34:47,418 --> 00:34:51,254
But the goal was to get the
money she needed for rent.
630
00:34:51,323 --> 00:34:52,622
[keith] either you're
going to give it to us
631
00:34:52,691 --> 00:34:53,923
Or we're going to take it,
632
00:34:53,925 --> 00:34:56,693
Is basically what
shanika was saying.
633
00:34:56,761 --> 00:35:00,563
[nicki] very seldom do you find
a smoking gun, and in this case
634
00:35:00,565 --> 00:35:03,633
Okay, it's not a murder weapon,
but it's a whole map
635
00:35:03,702 --> 00:35:06,736
Of the location in which
a murder happened.
636
00:35:06,805 --> 00:35:11,674
Finding this inside her diary
no doubt shows premeditation.
637
00:35:11,743 --> 00:35:13,276
This was planned.
638
00:35:13,845 --> 00:35:16,313
[music]
639
00:35:23,755 --> 00:35:26,857
[narrator] d.C. Police have
arrested shanika robinson,
640
00:35:26,925 --> 00:35:30,260
Her boyfriend, isiah genus,
and shanika's brother,
641
00:35:30,328 --> 00:35:33,830
Leon robinson, for the murder
of pizzeria owner
642
00:35:33,898 --> 00:35:36,266
Shahabuddin rana.
643
00:35:36,334 --> 00:35:39,236
We received more details.
In those moments,
644
00:35:39,304 --> 00:35:42,139
You are solely
thinking of surviving.
645
00:35:42,207 --> 00:35:43,673
You're thinking
they've been arrested.
646
00:35:43,742 --> 00:35:46,743
You're thinking about
how did this even happen?
647
00:35:46,811 --> 00:35:50,046
You're thinking about
this can't be real life.
648
00:35:50,115 --> 00:35:52,348
[narrator]
with shanika claiming innocence
649
00:35:52,417 --> 00:35:56,686
Isiah is given another
opportunity to come clean.
650
00:35:56,755 --> 00:36:00,256
[keith] shanika's boyfriend
immediately realized
651
00:36:00,258 --> 00:36:01,992
They have enough evidence
against me,
652
00:36:02,060 --> 00:36:04,161
Let me cut a deal.
653
00:36:04,229 --> 00:36:06,362
[deborah] isiah confessed first.
654
00:36:06,431 --> 00:36:10,867
He said, "yeah, I was there."
and he told everything.
655
00:36:10,935 --> 00:36:12,635
Everything.
656
00:36:12,637 --> 00:36:14,704
[narrator] in his confession,
isiah confirms
657
00:36:14,773 --> 00:36:18,708
It was shanika's idea
to rob shahabuddin.
658
00:36:18,777 --> 00:36:22,211
She had a plan.
It wasn't, oh, she went there,
659
00:36:22,213 --> 00:36:24,981
And, um,
they had a heated argument,
660
00:36:25,049 --> 00:36:28,752
And everything went to [bleep].
Like, she was on a mission.
661
00:36:30,755 --> 00:36:32,588
The plan was to go inside
and to beat him up
662
00:36:32,657 --> 00:36:35,225
And get the money,
not to kill him.
663
00:36:36,094 --> 00:36:38,761
Shanika planned it out
in her journal
664
00:36:38,830 --> 00:36:42,565
And rehearsed what everyone's
role would be.
665
00:36:42,634 --> 00:36:45,001
[nicki] ike told the detectives
that they decided to go in
666
00:36:45,069 --> 00:36:47,503
When nobody's around,
less traffic,
667
00:36:47,572 --> 00:36:50,740
Which means the
middle of the night.
668
00:36:52,677 --> 00:36:56,579
So the group went in August 18t
in the wee hours of the morning
669
00:36:56,648 --> 00:37:00,417
And the plan was for shanika
to go to the door and
670
00:37:00,419 --> 00:37:03,653
To get shahabuddin
to open the door up.
671
00:37:03,722 --> 00:37:07,790
He talked about shanika
being the coordinator
672
00:37:07,859 --> 00:37:12,695
And having gloves
for everybody upon entry.
673
00:37:12,764 --> 00:37:16,599
He said that leon
brought the knife.
674
00:37:16,668 --> 00:37:19,502
And they waited on the side,
in the darkness,
675
00:37:19,504 --> 00:37:22,239
While shanika got mr. Rana
to open the door.
676
00:37:25,443 --> 00:37:28,578
When shanika got mr. Rana
to open the door,
677
00:37:28,646 --> 00:37:31,781
They barged their way in,
and as soon as they got inside,
678
00:37:31,850 --> 00:37:34,650
Leon and ike just started
stabbing mr. Rana.
679
00:37:35,319 --> 00:37:37,853
[narrator] according to isiah,
when leon dropped the knife,
680
00:37:37,923 --> 00:37:40,790
Shahabuddin fled to the back
storage room,
681
00:37:40,859 --> 00:37:43,860
Attempting to barricade
himself inside,
682
00:37:43,928 --> 00:37:46,662
But leon broke through the door
683
00:37:47,065 --> 00:37:52,135
Leon grabs a hammer and starts
pounding on mr. Rana's head.
684
00:37:53,705 --> 00:37:55,938
[kevin] and at that point,
there was a discussion
685
00:37:55,940 --> 00:38:00,810
About getting rid of forensics,
the dna, and fingerprints,
686
00:38:00,879 --> 00:38:05,215
And the plan to, uh,
to burn the body developed.
687
00:38:05,283 --> 00:38:08,518
There were multiple attempts
to ignite mr. Rana's body
688
00:38:08,586 --> 00:38:11,354
In the storage room,
and apparently,
689
00:38:11,423 --> 00:38:15,358
They simply couldn't get a fire
going on the body.
690
00:38:16,995 --> 00:38:20,496
Prior to the two gentlemen
and shanika leaving,
691
00:38:20,565 --> 00:38:23,900
Shanika did start gathering
valuables from the store.
692
00:38:23,968 --> 00:38:28,871
She took money from the cash
register, cigars, cigarettes.
693
00:38:29,808 --> 00:38:32,508
Ike does confirm that
they did go back to the house
694
00:38:32,577 --> 00:38:34,411
In capitol heights.
They took the clothes
695
00:38:34,413 --> 00:38:35,878
And burned them all
in the fire pit,
696
00:38:35,947 --> 00:38:38,481
That they took bleach
and tried to wipe off
697
00:38:38,550 --> 00:38:40,216
All of the murder weapons,
698
00:38:40,285 --> 00:38:43,353
And then discarded those
in a nearby dumpster.
699
00:38:44,789 --> 00:38:46,622
[narrator]
following his confession,
700
00:38:46,691 --> 00:38:50,927
Isiah agrees to a plea deal
in exchange for his testimony.
701
00:38:52,430 --> 00:38:56,666
[kevin] leon was charged with
first-degree felony murder.
702
00:38:56,735 --> 00:39:01,404
Shanika's charges were elevated
to first-degree murder.
703
00:39:03,241 --> 00:39:05,541
[narrator] when the victim's
family learns of shanika's
704
00:39:05,610 --> 00:39:08,211
Involvement in
shahabuddin's murder,
705
00:39:08,279 --> 00:39:10,313
They are devastated.
706
00:39:10,381 --> 00:39:14,617
Allaudin, he didn't think his
wife had anything to do with it.
707
00:39:14,619 --> 00:39:18,287
When he was told,
he was stunned.
708
00:39:18,289 --> 00:39:19,689
[zeena] they're saying,
"she did this."
709
00:39:19,757 --> 00:39:21,891
And we're just thinking,
there's no way.
710
00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,495
She's come to our house.
She's helping at the store.
711
00:39:25,563 --> 00:39:27,497
She's part of the family.
712
00:39:27,565 --> 00:39:29,698
There's no way she would
do anything like that.
713
00:39:29,700 --> 00:39:32,902
I think what truly happened
started to sink in
714
00:39:32,971 --> 00:39:35,538
When the court trial started.
715
00:39:35,607 --> 00:39:38,240
[narrator]
at trial in July 2011,
716
00:39:38,310 --> 00:39:43,079
Shanika and leon robinson
are tried as co-defendants.
717
00:39:43,147 --> 00:39:45,948
The two siblings,
leon and shanika,
718
00:39:46,017 --> 00:39:49,119
They were being tried together.
And it is rare that you have
719
00:39:49,187 --> 00:39:52,655
A brother and a sister
on trial for murder together.
720
00:39:52,724 --> 00:39:55,457
Prosecutors described
her as the mastermind.
721
00:39:55,459 --> 00:39:57,760
They described her
as a black widow.
722
00:39:57,828 --> 00:40:02,499
They described her as a woman
who got men to do her bidding.
723
00:40:03,067 --> 00:40:05,634
[narrator] the state's star
witness is shanika's now
724
00:40:05,704 --> 00:40:08,938
Ex-boyfriend, isiah genus.
725
00:40:09,007 --> 00:40:12,308
[keith] the prosecutors really
relied on the testimony of ike
726
00:40:12,377 --> 00:40:13,443
Because there were
no eyewitnesses.
727
00:40:13,511 --> 00:40:15,377
There was no video cameras.
728
00:40:15,379 --> 00:40:17,847
They had no weapons.
729
00:40:17,916 --> 00:40:23,453
And there was no dna connecting
leon to the crime scene.
730
00:40:24,823 --> 00:40:28,024
[narrator] shanika and leon both
testify in their own defense
731
00:40:28,092 --> 00:40:30,626
And maintain their innocence.
732
00:40:30,695 --> 00:40:34,530
Leon sticks to the story
that he was not there.
733
00:40:34,532 --> 00:40:36,833
[narrator] when it's
shanika's turn to testify,
734
00:40:36,901 --> 00:40:40,503
She decides to flip
on her brother.
735
00:40:40,571 --> 00:40:43,105
[kevin] when shanika got on the
witness stand, she talked about
736
00:40:43,107 --> 00:40:45,708
How she had no idea what
leon and ike were going to do.
737
00:40:45,777 --> 00:40:48,778
There was no plan
of any violence.
738
00:40:48,846 --> 00:40:51,981
I remember watching
leon's expression.
739
00:40:52,050 --> 00:40:54,784
And he just sat there
shaking his head,
740
00:40:54,852 --> 00:40:59,888
Just exasperated, as if he felt
as if shanika, his older sister,
741
00:40:59,890 --> 00:41:03,826
Literally threw him
under the bus.
742
00:41:03,894 --> 00:41:05,695
[zeena] even though three
different perspectives
743
00:41:05,763 --> 00:41:10,467
Were heard, you could tell
all three were present
744
00:41:10,535 --> 00:41:13,802
In that building that night.
745
00:41:13,872 --> 00:41:17,807
And at any given point,
they had the opportunity
746
00:41:17,876 --> 00:41:21,644
To open that door again
and walk out.
747
00:41:21,646 --> 00:41:24,414
They were never taught
the value of human life.
748
00:41:24,482 --> 00:41:26,516
And that's sad.
749
00:41:28,553 --> 00:41:30,953
[narrator] on August 1, 2011,
750
00:41:31,022 --> 00:41:35,724
Jurors retire to deliberate
shanika and leon's fate.
751
00:41:35,794 --> 00:41:38,194
[nicki] the jury was out
for two days in this case.
752
00:41:38,262 --> 00:41:39,829
And when they came back,
753
00:41:39,897 --> 00:41:43,832
They found leon guilty of
murder in the first degree.
754
00:41:43,902 --> 00:41:48,371
Then they found shanika guilty
of murder in the second degree.
755
00:41:49,441 --> 00:41:53,108
Leon got 76 years for this.
756
00:41:53,178 --> 00:41:56,312
Shanika got 56 years for this.
757
00:41:56,380 --> 00:41:58,614
And then sometime later,
758
00:41:58,683 --> 00:42:02,184
They finally came out
with the sentencing for ike,
759
00:42:02,186 --> 00:42:04,053
Who had cooperated
with authorities.
760
00:42:04,122 --> 00:42:06,489
And he got 20 years.
761
00:42:09,193 --> 00:42:12,328
[zeena] when somebody just makes
your dad disappear,
762
00:42:12,396 --> 00:42:16,198
You don't necessarily
even think the justice system
763
00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:18,501
Can give you justice.
764
00:42:18,569 --> 00:42:21,604
But the court system
did the best it could do,
765
00:42:21,673 --> 00:42:24,073
And I'm grateful that
they were found.
766
00:42:24,142 --> 00:42:27,977
I do think shanika should've
had a harsher sentence
767
00:42:28,046 --> 00:42:31,247
Because lives were ruined
because of her.
768
00:42:32,150 --> 00:42:35,184
[nicki] shanika had a man that
would do anything for her.
769
00:42:35,253 --> 00:42:38,621
He really was infatuated
with her, in love with her,
770
00:42:38,690 --> 00:42:42,524
Mesmerized by her,
and willing to kill for her.
771
00:42:42,526 --> 00:42:44,760
They were driven by
their devotion
772
00:42:44,829 --> 00:42:47,697
And commitment to each other.
773
00:42:47,765 --> 00:42:50,099
[kevin] they were
an explosive couple
774
00:42:50,168 --> 00:42:52,168
That each fed off the other.
775
00:42:52,236 --> 00:42:54,103
And I don't think the crime
would have happened
776
00:42:54,172 --> 00:42:56,639
Without the passion
that they had.
777
00:43:00,211 --> 00:43:04,980
[zeena] I want my dad to be
remembered as somebody that
778
00:43:05,049 --> 00:43:10,153
Was always going to take
care of anybody he loved.
779
00:43:11,489 --> 00:43:17,026
His legacy is of an unstoppable
hardworking, resilient,
780
00:43:17,095 --> 00:43:21,130
Compassionate, fearless human
being that anything is possible.
781
00:43:21,199 --> 00:43:24,601
Anything can be possible.
You just don't stop.
782
00:43:30,207 --> 00:43:36,112
[music]