San Jose, CA: Omar Golamrabbi, a juvenile charged in the killing of his parents here, has been cleared of murder and was released from police custody on June 24th, reports here say. “Santa Clara County prosecutors dismissed murder charges Friday against the younger of two brothers accused in the shooting deaths of their parents at their San Jose home in April,” wrote San Francisco Chronicle.
The decision means Omar Golamrabbi, 17, is expected to leave the Santa Clara Jail where he had been held since the April slayings off his parents, Shamima Rabbi, 57, and her husband, Golam Rabbi, 59. Prosecutors had decided to charge him as an adult before they reversed course and dropped the charges. The Bangladeshi American couple was found dead on April 24 by relatives who had been trying to reach them for several days.
Public defender Sajid Khan, is reported to have said, Omar had been released because prosecutors said they had an “insufficiency of evidence” of his involvement in the murders. “He was present at the time, but we believe he was just a witness to the scene,” said Khan. Omar Golamrabbi has been taken to a group home, according to Khan. His social worker will determine whether he can live with other family members.
After the killings, the two brothers allegedly went to an anime cartoon convention, according to court documents. On the floor near the bodies were at least two handwritten notes in black marker pen. One chillingly read: “Sorry, my first kill was clumsy.” The other note read: “I can’t be like you, telling a lie.” Omar Golamrabbi was initially suspected of writing the notes.
Upon his arrest April 27, Hasib Golamrabbi — who initially could not be found for three days — told police he had shot his father multiple times, but added that a stranger had come into the house and forced him to do it. Hasib told police that the stranger had killed his mother.
As per reports, Omar Golamrabbi told police that his brother had murdered both his father and mother and then told him to check the garage — where the bodies were found — to make sure blood was not seeping out.
Hasib Golamrabbi is being held in Santa Clara County Jail without bail. His next court appearance has been scheduled for July 13. Documents filed in court indicate that Hasib Golamrabbi has previously been identified as having psychological issues.
“We are grateful and excited that the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed the murder charges against Omar,” the public defender’s office said in a written statement. “We are thankful to Deputy District Attorney Matt Braker for examining the evidence in this case with an open mind and for exercising his discretion to dismiss.