The person authorities imagine gunned down worldwide scholar Muna Pandey in her Houston house has made his first look in court docket.
Bobby Shah, 51, was charged with capital homicide over the killing of the 21-year-old nursing main, which suggests he may very well be put to demise if convicted.
Throughout his court docket look, the place he was denied bond, prosecutors mentioned Shah was arrested a number of days after the homicide.
They revealed that when he was taken into custody, he was carrying the identical blood-stained garments he was seen carrying in footage captured by a surveillance digital camera outdoors Pandey’s residence on the night time of the homicide, KHOU11 reported.
Investigators found Pandey’s physique on August 26 and mentioned she was shot thrice within the torso and as soon as behind the top.
Muna Pandey, pictured, was a 21-year-old nursing scholar at Houston Group School who was discovered lifeless inside her residence from a number of gunshot wounds to the top and torso
Bobby Shah, 51, is the prime suspect in Pandey’s homicide. He’s pictured Tuesday in his first court docket listening to, the place he was denied bond
CBS Austin reported that Shah might have had a profile on a so-called ‘Sugar Daddy’ web site, a service that connects males who wish to purchase items for ladies in trade for sexual favors.
It is unclear if Shah and Pandey had a pre-existing relationship of this nature, however court docket data obtained by KPRC say the residence’s safety footage confirmed Shah approaching her door armed with a pistol.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, Shah held Pandey at gunpoint whereas she was holding a shoe field, a purchasing bag, a black jacket and a handbag.
After repeated threats, he was capable of enter her residence and lock the door behind him. He left an hour later, and police say he was holding Pandey’s purse.
Court docket data additionally reveal that Shah was a frequent patron of a restaurant Pandey labored at a yr in the past. He apparently lavished huge suggestions for ladies he took a liking to.
Prosecutors say this surveillance video exhibits Shah exiting Pandey’s residence on the night time she was murdered
Prosecutors mentioned Tuesday that Shah was arrested days after he allegedly murdered Pandey in the identical bloody garments he’d worn at her residence
Pandey’s family and friends may very well be heard sobbing within the courtroom as prosecutors detailed what occurred to her, KPRC reported.
A number of members from the Nepalese Affiliation of Houston additionally confirmed as much as present their help.
The affiliation’s vp, Drona Gautam, was Pandey’s pal and could not perceive why anybody would kill her.
‘How might that individual do it?’ Gautam mentioned. ‘I can’t even give it some thought.’
Anita Pandey, the mom of the sufferer, wasn’t current in court docket Tuesday as a result of she’s nonetheless in Nepal, however her visa was reportedly authorized in the present day. Her daughter’s funeral preparations will likely be made ultimate as soon as she arrives in Houston later this week.
‘I can solely think about what Muna’s mom goes by being midway the world over, so I wished them to know what would occur in court docket, what they may count on,’ prosecutor Rebecca Marshall instructed reporters after the listening to.
Earlier than Shah was recognized as a suspect and charged, Anita mentioned final week she wished the utmost punishment for her daughter’s killer.
Drona Gautam, the vp of Nepalese Affiliation of Houston, was a pal of Pandey’s and was simply certainly one of quite a few individuals from her house nation to indicate as much as court docket to help her family and friends
Pandey was an solely youngster and her mom raised cash for her to check hundreds of miles away at Houston Group School.
She traveled to the US in 2021 to begin her undergraduate diploma and had not returned to her house nation since, the Kathmandu Publish reported.
Anita acquired the information of her daughter’s demise per week in the past from Gautam, the day after her physique was found.
‘Her pal knowledgeable me of Muna’s demise early on Tuesday. I used to be devastated when the caller broke the dangerous information whereas sobbing,’ Anita mentioned.
‘I fainted as quickly as I heard the information. I’ve misplaced my help, my every part. I do not know what to do subsequent; I can not suppose forward.’
Pandey’s mom Anita revealed that her daughter was set to make her first go to again to Nepal subsequent yr. It could have been her first journey house since leaving to check within the US again in 2021
Anita added that she was in common contact together with her daughter and that she’d talked about being in a relationship with a white American man.
She wasn’t conscious of any developments in that relationship.
‘Muna mentioned she had a plan to go to Nepal after finishing her research subsequent yr,’ Anita mentioned. ‘However now she’s gone, by no means to return.’
Pandey’s associates described her as ‘loving’ and ‘assured.’ They by no means heard something from her about Shah.
Prosecutors beneficial Shah’s bail be denied till his subsequent listening to in December.
‘I felt it was incumbent upon us to undoubtedly ask for no bail on this case,’ Marshall mentioned. ‘I imagine he poses a grave threat of hazard to our neighborhood.’
Rebecca Marshall, the lead prosecutor on this case, mentioned Shah poses ‘a grave threat of hazard to our neighborhood’ and will have his bail denied till December
Shah’s protection lawyer, Wilvin J. Carter, revealed that his shopper is initially from India and had an government function at an unnamed firm
Beneath his current bond situations, he should give up any passports he has and never contact Pandey’s household.
Shah’s protection lawyer mentioned his shopper is harmless and is in good spirits.
‘We’re trying ahead to proving his innocence within the court docket of regulation,’ Protection Lawyer Wilvin J. Carter mentioned.
Carter revealed Shah is from India and moved to the US throughout his childhood.
‘He was a V.P. at an organization, and I am not at liberty to present that identify, however he is a fairly good man, well-educated, very articulate,’ Carter mentioned.
