Police unlock murder suspect Shaahil’s phone, expect data will help identify motive

Police said Saturday that investigators have unlocked the mobile phone of the suspect in the brutal murder in an apartment in Male’ City in early August, and have high hopes the data retrieved from the phone will help identify the motive for the murder.

Shiaau Mohamed Saeed, 22, a local musician, was found murdered in an apartment on the ninth floor of H. Sheereen Villa on August 6.

Police arrested Ali Shaahil, 22, a local skater, from the scene of the crime.

In a press conference Saturday morning, Head of Serious and Organized Crime Department, Chief Superintendent of Police Hassan Saeed said Shaahil continued to be uncooperative in the investigation.

“Shaahil interacts with us. He talks. But he refuses to talk specifically about the case,” he said.

Saeed said that though Shaahil continued to be uncooperative, investigators had unlocked his mobile phone.

Saeed said that though investigators were pursuing several possible motives, a specific motive remained unclear.

He said that the investigators had “high hopes” they will find enough evidence on the phone to identify the motive.

Saaed said the investigation had uncovered enough evidence to prove Shaahil killed Shiaau.

He added that rather than being pre-planned, investigators believe it more likely the murder had been a “sudden incident”.

Speaking at the press conference, Inspector of Police Mohamed Samih, though he declined to directly confirm reports Shiaau’s body had been dismembered, said the autopsy showed Shiaau’s body had sustained significant injuries even after she was killed.

“Preliminary findings of the autopsy show the injuries inflicted on Shiaau’s body were deliberate,” he said.

Samih said that the autopsy shows Shiaau had died as a result of the injuries.

Police said that their investigation so far has not identified Shaahil suffers from a mental disorder.

Police said they expect to wrap up the investigation and submit the case to the Prosecutor General’s Office for charges within the next two weeks.