Thread: Two Illegals charged in Slaying of Detroit Couple

Friday, March 14, 2008

Two charged in slayings of Troy couple
Mike Martindale / The Detroit News

TROY -- Two Texas men, believed to be contract killers, were charged Friday with first-degree, premeditated murder of a Troy couple found slain in their home this past week.

Miguel Angel Servando, 40, of Katy, Texas, and Nelson Oswaldo Mendoza, 34, of Houston were arraigned on charges before Troy District Judge Michael Martone who ordered them held in the Oakland County Jail without bond pending a preliminary exam.

"This is a significant case, and because of the allegations and flight risk, they will be held without bond," said Martone.

Assistant prosecutor Ken Frazee said the pair -- both El Salvador nationals living in the U.S. illegally -- traveled here last Tuesday to kill two Oakland County residents: Aasha Chhabra, 56, and her husband, Brij Chhabra, 65. Both were found in second-floor bedrooms of their home on Delaware Drive, each with a single close-contact gunshot wound to the head, according to an autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office.

The suspects, who were advised of the charges through a Spanish-speaking interpreter, were arrested in Taylor by police on a traffic stop. Police found a map to the Chhabra's house, a semi-automatic handgun believed to be the murder weapon and blood-stained clothing in the vehicle.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Kelly Chard told Martone that Servando has a history of arrests for smuggling of aliens and also possession of 19 pounds of marijuana. Chard said Servando appeared before an immigration court last month and was ordered out of the United States.

"Why he is still here, I don't know," she told reporters.

You can reach Mike Martindale at (24 647-7226 or mmartindale@detnews.com.

Added to Home PAge

Here's an update to this story:

Saturday, March 15, 2008
Two from Texas charged in Troy couple's slayings
Attorney: Suspect mulled sparing life for cash
Mike Martindale and Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News


TROY -- One of two Texas men charged Friday with the "contract killings" of a well-liked Troy couple toyed with the idea of asking the targeted woman for money, an assistant prosecuting attorney said Friday.

In exchange, he would spare her life and instead kill the man who ordered her dead.

Miguel Angel Servando-Ortiz, 40, of Katy, Texas, and Nelson Oswaldo Mendoza, 34, of Houston were arraigned Friday in the first-degree, premeditated murders of Aasha Chhabra, 56, and her husband, Brij Chhabra, 65.

Advertisement
A third person, not charged with any crimes, is expected to testify at some point that Servando-Ortiz proposed approaching Aasha Chhabra with an offer to spare her life for more money and instead kill his boss.

"It involved someone asking her to come up with more than the $100,000 he (Servando-Ortiz) was being offered to kill her," said assistant Oakland County prosecutor Edward Cibor.

"The discussion went nowhere and no one ever approached the victim with the offer."

Instead, investigators believe Servando-Ortiz and Mendoza traveled to Michigan, went to the Chhabras' house Tuesday afternoon and killed both Aasha and her husband, Brij.

The alleged killers' flight from Michigan was apparently tripped up by the darkness of their vehicle's tinted windows, investigators said. The tinted windows -- and unspecified other infractions -- attracted the attention of Taylor Police around 5 p.m. Tuesday, prompting them to pull over and question Servando-Ortiz and Mendoza, according to investigators.

Behind the darkened glass, police said they found two nervous El Salvadoran nationals -- one in the United States illegally -- along with bloodstained clothing, a semiautomatic handgun and a map to the Chhabras' home.

Both victims were found in second-floor rooms of the unlocked house. Both were killed by a single close-contact gunshot wound to the head.

The killings have shocked Troy neighbors and relatives and friends of the Chhabras. The couple were described as peaceful, law-abiding citizens. He was a computer programming consultant and yoga instructor who often led prayers and meditations for world peace. She shared his beliefs but had been largely confined to a bedroom because of progressive multiple sclerosis.

Victims didn't know suspects
Neither were associated with or even knew the men charged in their slayings, investigators said.

"We believed they (suspects) traveled to Oakland County to specifically kill two Troy residents," said assistant prosecuting attorney Ken Frazee. "It was a planned contract killing."

Frazee declined to answer questions regarding others who may have been involved in the death plot other than to reiterate "the investigation is continuing."

Servando-Ortiz and Mendoza were both brought before Troy District Judge Michael Martone, who ordered them held in the Oakland County Jail without bond pending a March 27 preliminary exam.

Servando-Ortiz, the suspected shooter, told Martone through a Spanish-speaking interpreter that he didn't speak English, needed a court-appointed attorney and understood the charges against him. Mendoza, who said he spoke "a little" English, told the judge he also needed an attorney and that although he understood the charges, he didn't know why he was also being charged with using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Kelly Chard told Martone that Servando-Ortiz has a criminal history that includes a 1999 arrest for alleged smuggling of aliens in Texas and a 2005 arrest for alleged possession of 19 pounds of marijuana in Arizona. Chard said she did not know why he wasn't prosecuted for the offenses and noted Servando-Ortiz was ordered to leave the United States last month.

FBI involved in probe
Both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement are involved in the investigation. Special Agent Robert Beeckman of the FBI's Detroit office declined to say how his agency is helping Troy detectives.

Servando-Ortiz has apparently been a fugitive since 2005, when he never showed up in an Arizona court, said Greg Palmore, of the Detroit ICE office. At a hearing held Feb. 19 by a federal immigration judge in Los Angeles, Servando-Ortiz was ordered deported from the United States. Servando-Ortiz wasn't present at that hearing, Palmore said.

You can reach Mike Martindale at (24 647-7226 or mmartindale@detnews.com.
http://tinyurl.com/26bzvb

"Why he is still here, I don't know," she told reporters.

How long have we been asking that question?

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 8803150323

Again, as I commented on another article, "our" FAMILIES are at the mercy of ILLEGALS and their Anchor Babies being murdered, raped, or robbed. But NOT to worry the Chamber of Commerce will get their "cheap labor" increasing "their privatized" PROFITS, thanks to Bush and the Congressional Leadership!!

P.S. Houston and Katy, TEXAS are both sanctuary cities!

Can anyone say "Secure the Border"

They can secure our National Borders but there is too much profit for the ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS, ELITIST POLITICIANS, and their ELITIST CONTRIBUTORS NOT to secure.

Just follow the money "my friends" as Senator McCAMNESTY would say!

Why he is still here, I don't know," she told reporters.





I'm more wondering why the hit?

Move to NEW Section for "Americans Killed by Illegals."