A suspect has been arrested in the cold case murder of a New York taxi cab driver that happened in Connecticut more than 20 years ago, according to authorities.
The United States Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team arrested Mohammad Ali in a joint operation on Wednesday with police in Columbus, Ohio, NBC Connecticut reported. He’d been wanted in Connecticut for decades in connection with the slaying of 35-year-old Mureed Hussain, who lived in Brooklyn at the time.
A Pakistani immigrant, he traveled to the United States in 1997 and worked as a cab driver for Eastland Limo and Car Service in New York City, the Hartford Courant reported. He also had a wife and two sons.
Hussain was found dead on Feb. 9, 2005. He’d been shot in the head and dumped on the side of a road off Route 159 in Windsor Locks, police said. Authorities in response launched an intense investigation in a bid to try to identify the killer, but to no avail. The case eventually went cold, but it was again reopened in February 2024, Through advancements in forensic technology, interviews and reexamination of evidence, they were able to uncover several potential leads.
An arrest warrant was issued for Ali on Jan. 13, 2025, charging him with conspiracy to commit murder and accessory to murder. He was taken into custody without issue and remains jailed at the Franklin County Jail, pending extradition back to Connecticut.
Authorities did not say specifically what evidence prompted Ali’s arrest.
“The U.S. Marshals Service works daily with our law enforcement partners all over the country to locate and apprehend dangerous fugitives,” said United States Marshal Michael D. Black. “After receiving the case from our fugitive task force in Connecticut, we coordinated with the Dublin Police Department to quickly and safely apprehend Ali.”
Authorities said they have identified other suspects in Hussain’s death and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
