Doors Floors and More

Cited: ABC News

The accused serial killer, Elias Abuelazam, is suspected of a number of attacks. Police in Virginia, on August 13, began investigating whether he also stabbed his former neighbor to death. In addition, police in Israel said the Israeli-Arab stabbed a friend in Israel about six months ago. No charges were filed against Abuelazam because the stabbing victim, who survived, declined to press charges, Israeli officials told the Associated Press.

The attacks would bring to 20 the total number of victims allegedly knifed by Abuelazam.

Leesburg, Va., Police Chief Joseph Price said his officers are trying to determine whether the death of Jammie Lane is linked to Abuelazm. Lane, who was 44, lived across the street from Abuelazam at the time of his stabbing death in March 2009.

If convicted of murder in Virginia, Abuelazam could face the death penalty. Currently he is charged with one murder in Michigan, which does not have the death penalty.

He is a suspect in the stabbing of 18 men in Michigan, Virginia and Ohio. Five of those victims died.

Abuelazam, described as a “gentle giant” by a former co-worker, appeared in a Georgia court in shackles today and was a full head taller than the officers who escorted him into the court room for the extradition hearing. Judge Richard Hicks repeatedly explained what extradition was before Abuelazam decided to waive his right to fight it.

When first confronted with his options, Abuelazam asked the judge, “Is it possible to ask to think about it?”

The judge informed the suspect that he could put off going to Michigan to fight the criminal case for as long as three months.

“I will fight the case in Michigan,” Abuelazam finally decided. “Why should I wait 90 days, right? That’s the most common sense. It sounds more logical to me to go now than to wait three months.”

At the conclusion of the short hearing, as the suspect was escorted out of the court, Hicks wished him “good luck,” to which Abuelazam responded, “Thank you.”

Abuelazam, 33, was apprehended on the evening of August 11 at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport as he waited for his flight to leave the country, officials said. He was tracked to the airport after investigators followed a new lead that originated in Michigan.

For those who are afraid to walk in their neighborhood at night . . . The training resource experts seek and consult with this Ivy League educational institute that focuses on dog training needs from the very basic to the very advanced when dealing with problem dogs, complex situations and behavioral issues as well as dogs who simply have bad habits. They can even provide you with personal protection dogs. At this Oklahoma dog training facility protection training is designed to teach your dog how to defend you on command.

Complex Picture of Suspected Killer Elias Abuelazam as ‘Gentle Giant’

A complex picture of Abuelazam is emerging today as one former coworker called him a “gentle giant” even in violent situations but a former family member says he was abusive.

“There was a bit of abuse,” James Hirth, the father of Elias Abuelazam’s ex-wife, told ABC News. Hirth said Abuelazam was rough with his daughter before the couple divorced in 2007.

Abuelazam was also arrested in Virginia on Aug. 5 for an outstanding warrant for misdemeanor assault in which Michigan police said they believe he assaulted his former brother-in-law. At the time, Abuelazam was not identified as the serial killer suspect, so Virginia police released him.

But the cross country stabbings, not to mention the domestic abuse and assault allegations, do not at all fit with the image of Abuelazam that a coworker paints of the man.

Wendy Brooks told ABC News that she worked with Abuelazam at the Piedmont Behavioral Health Center in Leesburg, Va., for several years until 2002 when they both left the facility. She said it was a very stressful job where they frequently had to subdue mentally unstable and violent teenagers, and he was a “gentle giant” whose behavior was marked by patience and restraint.

“He seemed to always treat the kids nicely, followed the rules,” Brooks said. “From what I saw, he was never too aggressive. … I think he was smart. He wasn’t quick to react.”

At times, she would even seek out Abuelazam “to just kind of talk about a situation. He would sit there and take the time to do it.”

Brooks was particularly surprised to find that most of his alleged victims were black.

“It’s crazy. I never would’ve imagined anything like that. I’m a young black female,” she said, adding that she gave him a ride home once.

“He was a good guy. He was a friendly guy. He was a nice guy,” Abdullah Farah, Abuelazam’s boss at a Michigan party store, said Thursday, August 12. “He said he was leaving to see some relatives and he never came back.”

More charges are expected to follow in Michigan and possibly other states, Michigan’s Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton said Thursday, August 12.

Continued in “Serial Stabber Caught Fleeing Country Part 2“

————————————————————————

My Take: It’s always nice ones that fool everybody! I hope he has a good Ottawa criminal lawyer on his side. At least he does not need Cornwall drinking and driving lawyer. Ha ha! I know it is not nice to make fun of people in bad situations. But from what is being said in the news, I would say he is guilty. One thing is for sure, he is going to be going through several walk through metal detectors before he finally did the court.

The article said he had retained several lawyers, I hope he has a good Redwood City criminal defense lawyer on his side as well. In his situation, you can’t have too many lawyers! I understand that Redwood City CA criminal attorneys are good at what they do.

It is just too bad the areas where he killed these people didn’t have any kind of metal detection. If they had, those people may have been warned that somebody was carrying a weapon. However, outside, you cannot have metal detection devices everywhere. It would be nice in gang ridden areas!

————————————————————————-

Other Resources

Realtime Reporting

Los Angeles Court Reporter has been serving the legal community in Southern California for over a quarter century! Providing court reporting, litigation support, trial reporting, arbitration, audio/video and deposition services in LA, CA. With realtime reporting, all you have to do is hook up your laptop to the court reporter for instant display of the testimony. With Los Angeles court reporting in realtime, you will be able to view realtime proceedings live from anywhere in the world as well as chat privately via computer with others during the proceedings.