Man suspected in stabbing death of wife identified

By Mary Manning

Published Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 | 11:55 a.m.

Updated Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 | 2:08 p.m.

Farid Ashraf

Authorities today identified a 49-year-old man suspected of stabbing his wife to death this past weekend.

Officers arrived about 9 a.m. Saturday to the 4100 block of Otis Court Avenue on a domestic disturbance call, police said.

Officers found Farid Ashraf in front of the residence holding an infant, according to an arrest report. A neighbor called police after two other children had run out of the Ashraf home and found the neighbors, police said.

Officers and Ashraf entered the house after officers took the infant from him, the arrest report said. Ashraf picked up a knife from the kitchen counter and made stabbing motions, then pointed to himself, the arrest report said. Police learned that Ashraf is deaf.

In the dining area police found the body of a woman who appeared to have been stabbed several times in the neck, the arrest report indicated. She was taken to University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The Clark County Coroner's Office has not identified the woman, a coroner's spokeswoman said, but the arrest report lists her as Hameeda Ashraf.

During a preliminary investigation, officers and detectives said Farid Ashraf had blood on his head, face and clothing. He also had a cut to his right thumb. Evidence was photographed at the scene, the arrest report said.

During an interview with detectives, Ashraf said, "If she's dead, hell with her," the report said.

Offices took Ashraf into custody and he was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon.

In an interview with homicide detectives, Farid Ashraf said he caught his wife kissing another man and that she tried to take a car belonging to him, the arrest report said. The Ashrafs had been married for 13 years and have four children.