Shaima Alawadi Murder: Iraqi-American woman's husband arrested, accused in beating death
(CBS/AP) EL CAJON, Calif.- It has been nearly eight months since Iraqi-American Shaima Alawadi was found bloody and beaten unconscious in the kitchen of her suburban San Diego home. At the scene, police found a note reading, "Go back to your country, you terrorist."
Alawadi, 32, died at the hospital three days later, and on Nov. 9, her husband, Kassim Alhimidi, 48, was arrested and booked on one count of murder.
Initially, Alawadi's death was considered a possible hate crime, due to the discovery of the note, and the fact that Alawadi's daughter told police the family had received similar threats in the past. But as Crimesiderreported in April, there was more to the story.
According to a search warrant affidavitaccidentally released to the San Diego-Union Tribune, a relative told police that Alawadi was planning to divorce her husband at the time of her death. In addition, Alawadi's 17-year-old daughter, Fatima, was upset about a pending arranged marriage to her cousin, and that Alawadi was planning to move her children to Texas, away from her husband.
The affidavit also revealed that the note found at the scene was a photocopy.
"After months of hard work... we determined this homicide was the result of domestic violence and not a hate crime," El Cajon Police Chief Jim Redman said at a news conference, reports the Union-Tribune.
Al-Himidi is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
More on Crimesider
April 6, 2012: Shaima Alawadi, Iraqi woman killed in her Calif. home, was planning divorce: documents
