Suvechha Sarkar
The early morning hours of August 21, 2017, began normally for 35-year-old Nada Huranieh. However, she met her untimely demise shortly after in her home in Farmington Hills, Michigan. What initially appeared to be an accident soon spiraled into a complex homicide investigation, uncovering that someone closest to her was responsible for her death. The episode titled ‘The Shadow in the Window’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline’ delves deeper into the case and what truly happened inside her home that morning. It also features interviews with her daughter and the law enforcement officers, who worked tirelessly on the case.
Nada Huranieh Was Found Dead on the Patio of Her Mansion in Michigan
The birth of Nada Huranieh on January 25, 1982, brought immense joy to her parents’ lives. She grew up in Syria, surrounded by the love and support of her parents and sister. She was often known among her family and friends as someone whose smile could light up the entire room. Nada eventually crossed paths with a physician, Bassel Altantawi, who was a devout Muslim like her. Their relationship blossomed, and they tied the knot in 1999. Shortly after, Nada and Bassel moved to Michigan, where he built his own medical practice. Over the years, they welcomed their son, Muhammad, and two daughters, Aya and Sidra. Together, the family began residing at their mansion on the 1.7-acre property in Farmington Hills, Michigan. While Bassel focused on his work, Nada’s life was dedicated to raising her children.
According to Aya, Nada was an extroverted person who enjoyed attending different types of events. Aya stated that Nada gradually began seeking independence, leading her to take on the role of a Personal Trainer at a gym. She continued that her mother’s change didn’t bode well with Bassel. As per court records, it led to a domestic altercation in February 2016, when Bassel pushed Nada down a flight of stairs. It reportedly led to his arrest on the charge of domestic violence. He eventually pleaded no contest to the charge and was ordered by the court to leave his house. Reports state that a protective order was also issued against him to prevent him from approaching the Farmington Hills residence. Ultimately, Nada and Bassel got a divorce in 2016, and she received the custody of their children.
Things seemed to be returning to normal until Nada’s life took a dark turn on August 21, 2017. Around 6:30 am, Aya went to check on her mother, but she discovered that the guest room window was open with cleaning supplies and a ladder next to it. When Aya looked out the window, she found her mother lying on the patio. Reports state that she then woke up Muhammad and called 911 immediately. When officials arrived, they found Nada dead, but no significant amount of blood was present around her. Initially, they deduced that Nada might’ve fallen accidentally from the window while cleaning. However, the autopsy reportedly uncovered that she had died before her fall. Her primary cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation (smothering), and the contributing factor was blunt force trauma. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
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CCTV Footage and Conflicting Accounts Led the Officials to the Killer
When investigators first arrived at Nada’s home, they found Muhammad giving her CPR. Although they initially believed it to be a fall, Nada’s positioning, the autopsy findings, and the lack of blood at the scene led to a homicide investigation. According to reports, they checked recordings from the six CCTVs that were active at her residence. One of them reportedly captured her remains falling from the guest room window. Court records state that the footage showed a shadowy figure with short hair bending near the window shortly before Nada’s remains fell. Officials initially suspected Bassel, considering his past with Nada. He reportedly had a tracking device on him because he was out on probation for the domestic violence case. It revealed that he was away from the residence at the time of the crime.
Hence, Bassel was ruled out as a possible suspect. Detectives then questioned Muhammad, who was the only other short-haired person present at home at the time of the murder. According to investigative reports, he claimed that he didn’t see his mother that morning until Aya woke him up. Reports state that shortly after, he changed his account. In his statements, Muhammad reportedly claimed that he was helping his mother get a cleaning spray and was holding her ladder when she allegedly fell outside the window. He insisted that he had allegedly tried to convince himself that the incident didn’t take place and went to his room to go to sleep. Official records indicate that upon speaking with Aya, they discovered that Muhammad was allegedly unhappy with his parents’ divorce and had a strained relationship with Nada.
According to statements referenced in investigative records, Nada’s friends also informed the officials that Muhammad allegedly blamed his mother for the divorce and for straying away from the family’s Muslim beliefs. Ultimately, based on the CCTV footage and Muhammad’s conflicting statements, he was arrested in August 2017 and was indicted on the charge of second-degree murder on August 28, 2017. Although he was 16 years old at the time of the crime, he was tried as an adult. The jury trial of Muhammad began in March 2022, and he was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder. He was ultimately sentenced to 35 years to 60 years in prison on September 21, 2022, in Oakland County Circuit Court. His earliest release date is set for August 19, 2052, with the maximum discharge date being August 19, 2077.
