Son Accused of Murder in Deadly Rockville Fire

Hani Haleem accused of stabbing elderly mother, burning her home

September 5, 2014 10:55 a.m.

An Aspen Hill man was charged with murder in the death of his elderly mother who died after being pulled from her burning home on Thursday, police said.

Hani Haleem, 57, of Iris Street in Rockville was charged on Thursday with first-degree murder in the death of 82-year-old Somaya Haleem.

Police say Hani Haleem admitted to stabbing his mother multiple times. Investigators believe he then started a fire in the home he and his mother shared before calling 911 from a house across the street.

- Advertisement -

Photo by Beverly Jensen, courtesy Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service

Firefighters responded to the Aspen Hill house fire at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday, where they found Somaya Haleem in a second-story bedroom. Two firefighters reached the bedroom by ladder and pulled the woman to safety. The firefighters were taken to the hospital after suffering minor burns.

The woman was taken to a local trauma center, where she was pronounced dead. An examination revealed stab wounds and injuries caused by the fire, according to police. Her body was sent to the chief medical examiner’s office in Baltimore for an autopsy. Findings of the autopsy are pending, police said.

Hani Haleem is being held without bond at the Montgomery County central processing unit and is scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. today in Rockville for a bond review hearing.

Digital Partners

Enter our essay contest