g By Ali Harb

     The Arab American News

DEARBORN — On Monday, July 28, a 23-year-old Dearborn resident was charged with first degree murder and torture for allegedly stabbing and strangling his 30-year-old sister on Saturday afternoon. 

Asyh Elmawri was stabbed multiple times in a house on the 7500 block of Bingham in Dearborn and died as a result of her injuries. Haron Elmawri was arrested at the scene in connection to the incident and arraigned on Monday.

Judge Sam Salamey set a $1 million bond for Elmawri. The prosecutor had asked the judge to deny the bond because Elmawri is “a threat to the community and to himself.”

The suspect lived at the house where the crime occurred with one other brother, according to the prosecution.

A preliminary exam will be held for Elmawri on Aug. 8, where the prosecution will present the evidence against him. If the judge finds reasonable suspicion that Elmawri committed the crime, he will be transferred to trial at Wayne County Circuit Court.

None of Elmawri’s relatives were present in the courtroom. 

“This appears to be a domestic violence incident that escalated,” Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the family of the victim.” 

A friend of the victim, who wished not to be named, said that Aysh had told her that her brother has mental issues and complained that he is abusive.

The friend said the suspect’s brother also told her that Haron Elmawri had spent time at a mental institute.

“Her family had warned her not stay alone with him, but she would say ‘he is my brother, my flesh and blood. I cannot give up on him,'” the friend told The Arab American News. “But for her family to tell her that, they knew something was wrong. Maybe if he had gotten the proper help, this wouldn’t have happened.”

The friend said Asyh Elmawri had “not been herself” in the week leading to the crime, but did not disclose the reason for her apparent discomfort. 

“She has always been a happy-go-lucky person,” the friend said. “But for the past week, she was not smiling. You could tell something was wrong.” 

Asyh Elmawri was divorced and had three children. Her parents were in Yemen when the crime occured.