An Aspen Hill man is being held without bond after police say he murdered his mother by stabbing her repeatedly and setting her home on fire.
A bail review hearing for Hani Haleem that was set for Friday was postponed until Monday afternoon.
The Gazette reports that Haleem, 57, appeared briefly before District Court Judge Eugene Wolf by video link on Friday and asked for a public defender.
A preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 3.
Haleem is accused of first-degree murder of his mother, 82-year-old Sonya Haleem. Firefighters pulled her from a second-story window after responding to the fire at her home early Thursday morning. She was pronounced dead later at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Her body was sent to the chief medical examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.
Police say Haleem admitted to stabbing his mother multiple times.
About 100 firefighters responded to the house fire, which was fueled by a natural gas line rupture caused by the blaze. Officials estimated $450,000 damage was done to the home which Haleem shared with his mother.
The Gazette reports that Haleem has a 30-year criminal history that includes charges of drug possession, theft and lying to police.