| For Immediate Release Case# 06HF1654
March 25, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
HUSBAND SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR STABBING AND MURDERING WIFE AND MOTHER-IN-LAW AND LEAVING BODIES ON ICE IN BATHTUB
SANTA ANA – A husband was sentenced today to life without the possibility of parole for stabbing and murdering his wife and mother-in-law and leaving their bodies in an ice-filled bathtub in his Irvine home. Bahram Nazeri, 51, Irvine, was found guilty by a jury on Feb. 25, 2009, of two felony counts of murder and the special circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders was found true.
On Aug. 20, 2006, Nazeri murdered his wife, Nooshin Mirabadi, and mother-in-law, Parvane Ghararyankordestan, because he believed that his wife was having an affair. Nazeri used a double-sided knife, stabbed his wife 20 times, and stabbed his mother-in-law 26 times. The defendant placed both bodies in a bathtub of a downstairs bathroom in the Irvine home he shared with Mirabadi and their two young daughters, ages 6 and 8 years old. He told his daughters that their mother had gone on a business trip and instructed them not to open the door to the downstairs bathroom.
Over the next couple of days, Nazeri continually filled the bathtub with ice to suppress the smell of the dead bodies. On Aug. 22, 2006, Nazeri’s brother went to the house and noticed the foul odor and that Nazeri was behaving oddly. When his brother asked about the odor, Nazeri said that he had murdered his wife. Nazeri later claimed to be kidding, but his brother went to the Irvine Police Department that day, fearing that Nazeri was telling the truth and may kill himself or his daughters.
When officers arrived at Nazeri’s home, the defendant cut his own wrist. He ran into his backyard and attempted to jump over the fence to escape before instigating a stand-off with the police. He falsely claimed to have a gun and threatened to kill the officers. The officers used less-than-lethal force to subdue the defendant.
Mirabadi and Nazeri’s two daughters were placed in protective custody.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Dan Wagner of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.
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