Investigators say they have “overwhelming” evidence that 33-year-old tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh’s former personal assistant killed and dismembered him.
Tyrese Haspil, 21, was arrested on Friday and charged with Saleh’s murder. The arrest came after Saleh’s partially chopped-up body was discovered by his sister Tuesday in his $2.2 million Manhattan apartment. Saleh was a successful entrepreneur and the CEO of Nigerian motorcycle ride-hailing company Gokada.
Although prosecutors are still investigating the crime, it may be tied to money. According to the New York Post, Saleh discovered that Haspil had embezzled more than $90,000, and instead of calling the police, Saleh offered to allow him to return the money through a payment plan. Despite the offer, investigators said Haspil decided to kill his former boss.
Surveillance footage from Saleh’s posh condominium building showed him entering an elevator on Monday with another man who police say was Haspil. Haspil allegedly used a Taser to stun Saleh as soon as the elevator arrived at his floor and then stabbed him multiple ties, killing him.
Police said that after the crime, Haspil left Saleh’s body in the apartment but returned the following day after a stop at Home Depot to pick up a saw and other supplies. Sources told the New York Post that Haspil returned to the apartment and was in the middle of sawing apart the CEO’s body when Saleh’s sister buzzed the unit, causing him to escape down the stairs.
During an arraignment held after midnight on Saturday, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Ford said that the clothing found in Haspil’s apartment matched what he was wearing in the surveillance footage and that police were able to track his whereabouts around the time of the killing.
“The evidence, in this case, is overwhelming,” Ford said. “He is on video surveillance before and after the crime. He has been identified by at least two individuals from the videotape.”
Ford also said investigators are looking into the alleged theft and apparent payment plan.
“We are awaiting records to determine whether or not [Haspil] made any payments and whether this murder was motivated by a desire to not pay that money back or a fear that the victim would’ve reported him to the police,” she said.
Haspil was charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bail until his next court appearance in August.
