Landlord Found Brutally Murdered In Brooklyn Building
Updated 10:00 a.m. 1/8: The NYPD identified the person they wanted to question as Rasel Siddiquee. Earlier, they had identified that person as Mohammed Siddiquee. This story has been updated to reflect that change.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Tuesday were trying to solve a murder mystery in Brooklyn after a landlord's own brother discovered him dead with his throat slashed and face burned.
As CBS 2's John Slattery reported, the body of Mahuddin Mahmud, 57, was found in the basement office of the building at 546 McDonald Ave. in the Kensington section of Brooklyn. Police responded at 12:18 a.m.
Mahmud's wife was too grief-stricken to speak as she wailed in pain Tuesday. And as for the victim's younger brother, who found the body, he said he faced the most shocking moment of his life.
"Oh my God! My brother! Brother, brother, brother!" said Hanif Mahmud.
As 1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten reported, Mahuddin Mahmud came to Brooklyn from Bangladesh. His nearly-decapitated body was found in his basement office of the McDonald Avenue building, which he owned.
Mahuddin Mahmud rented out an electronics business and dealt in check-cashing and currency from a basement office. Because of the blood, Hanif Mahmud says at first he didn't realize the victim was his own brother.
He said his first reaction was, "Oh, my God, what is this? This is a man! This is blood."
Hanif Mahmud said his brother had been burned in the face and deeply slashed across the throat.
"This cut is too much. – this side and deep inside," Hanif Mahmud said.
The vicitm's two brothers said the office safe was open and its contents were gone -- possibly $20,000.
A man named Robert owns the building next door to the one Mahuddin Mahmud owned. He told 1010 WINS' Baumgarten he was horrified by the murder of the gentle man.
"Very nice guy – he was next door, ran a business, came to this country to make something for himself and succeeded – a very nice guy," he said. "It breaks my heart what happened."
Police on Tuesday were looking for Rasel Siddiquee, 27, for questioning in regards to Mahmud's death, 1010 WINS reported.
"There's an apartment in the basement of the building that was rented to an individual who we would like to talk with," said police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
Whatever the motive, the killing has ripped apart a family -- some in New York, some in Bangladesh.
Mahuddin Mahmud was the father of two boys, ages 4 and 9.
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