US authorities have sought the extradition of Nazeer Hameed, an Indian national now living in India, after formally charging him with the murders of a woman and her son in 2017.
The murders include that of 38-year-old Sasikala Narra and her 6-year-old son, Anish, in their New Jersey apartment.
Both victims were stabbed repeatedly, and investigators described the crime scene as unforgettable, marked by clear signs that mother and child fought desperately for their lives.
Hameed, a co-worker of Sasikala’s husband, lived within walking distance of the family at the time. He had been in the US on a work visa but returned to India six months after the killings.
A Long Road to Breakthrough
Investigators say the case dragged on for years due to the painstaking analysis required and the challenges of obtaining DNA evidence from a suspect who had already left the country.
Patrick Thornton, chief of investigations at the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, said that numerous samples were collected from the crime scene, including blood.
A lab report issued two years later revealed that one droplet of blood did not belong to any member of the Narra family, placing Hameed on investigators’ radar.
Once in India, Hameed refused to provide a DNA sample, an obstacle that stalled the case. In 2024, investigators secured a court order compelling Hameed’s employer in India to send his company-issued laptop to the US for forensic testing.
“Ultimately, a DNA contributor was able to be obtained from the laptop, which matched the DNA from the unknown blood droplet from the crime scene,” said Lt Brian Cunningham of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Our message is clear. We did not forget. We did not forgive, and we will not stop pursuing those who take innocent lives in this county. Justice will prevail,” Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw said.
A Motive Still Unclear
Investigators say they have not yet identified a motive. However, they confirmed that Hameed had followed Sasikala’s husband “for a significant amount of time.” They believe he may have harbored some form of vendetta against him.
