An Indian-origin man has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a 21-year-old Nepalese college student in Houston, Texas, according to the New York Post.
Bobby Singh Shah, 51, was taken into custody on Wednesday night (local time). He is accused of shooting Muna Pandey, a nursing student at Houston Community College, during an attempted robbery on August 24. Pandey's body was discovered in her apartment on Monday with multiple gunshot wounds.
Shah is accused of shooting Pandey in what court records describe as an "execution-style" killing. It is currently unclear if Shah and Pandey knew each other prior to the incident.
According to court records, Shah forced his way into Pandey's apartment at gunpoint. Witnesses told police Pandey had installed a security camera outside her door due to previous harassment by a stalker. The camera captured the incident.
The footage shows Shah forcing Pandey into her apartment at gunpoint around 8:40 p.m. on the night of her death. As he directed her to open the door, Pandey asked, "What are you going to do?"
An hour later, Shah is seen leaving the apartment with Pandey's purse.
The young woman’s body was discovered days later after an anonymous caller alerted the apartment complex's management. She had been shot multiple times in the torso and once in the head.
SUGAR DADDY CONNECTION
Authorities believe Shah may have targeted Pandey through a sugar daddy dating website. A female tipster who met Shah on such a website 12 years ago contacted police after recognising him in the surveillance footage.
Police suspect Pandey knew her attacker and said that he stole her mobile phone after the murder.
The Nepalese Association of Houston is working with the Nepal Consulate to assist Pandey's family with travel arrangements to come to the United States.
The investigation into Pandey's murder is ongoing.
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