Elias Abuelazam

Elias Abuelazam (Arabic: الياس أبو عزام‎, Hebrew: אליאס אבו אל עזאם‎, born August 29, 1976) is an Arab-Israeli convicted murderer, and a suspect of racially-motivated[1] serial killings and stabbings. He is suspected in a string of eighteen stabbing attacks from May to August 2010 which resulted in five deaths. Most of the alleged attacks occurred in Genesee County, Michigan (particularly in and around Flint). Five stabbings occurred elsewhere: three in Leesburg, Virginia, one in Toledo, Ohio, and one in his native home in Ramla, Israel. All of his alleged victims were described as "small framed" (e.g. short, thin, non-muscular) men, most of them African Americans.

Elias Abuelazam
Mugshot of Elias Abuelazam after his arrest for a misdemeanor assault warrant in Arlington, Virginia on August 5, 2010
Born
Elias Abuelazam

August 29, 1976
Ramla, Israel
Other namesElias Abullazam
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Conviction(s)First degree murder
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Details
Victims1 (convicted)
Suspected in 17 further attacks, resulting in another 4 deaths.
Span of crimes
March 2009–August 2010
Country United States
State(s)Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia
Date apprehended
August 11, 2010

During the investigation, Michigan media dubbed Abuelazam the "Flint Serial Slasher"[2] and the "Flint Serial Stabber".[3] He was 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and weighed 280 pounds (130 kg) at the time of his booking.[4] Abuelazam has been convicted in one of the murders, that of 49-year-old Arnold Minor, which occurred on August 2, 2010 in Flint.[5] He is currently serving a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for that crime.[2] As a result, Genesee County prosecutors have announced Abuelazam will not stand trial for the other crimes in their jurisdiction, nor will authorities in Toledo or Leesburg try him.[6] On May 2, 2017, Abuelazam confessed to a 2009 murder in Leesburg.[3]

Personal life

Abuelazam was born in Israel, to a well-to-do Christian family.[7][8][9][10] As a child, he moved to the United States with his family after his mother remarried; he acquired a Green Card, but never gained US citizenship. According to the State Department, Abuelazam changed his last name to Abullazam in March 1995.[11]

Until 2008,[12] Abuelazam worked at Piedmont Behavioral Health Center, LLC, an adolescent psychiatric facility in Leesburg, Virginia (now called North Spring Behavioral Healthcare)[13][14] as a mental health technician.[15][16][17][18][19][20] After moving to Michigan, he worked as a clerk at Kingwater Market in Beecher from July 5 to August 1, 2010. Most customers knew him as “Eli.” He was cited for giving alcohol to a minor July 29, the same day a 59-year-old man was stabbed in Flint. Abuelazam’s legal address is in Bradenton, Florida, according to the warrant. He previously lived in Grand Blanc, according to state records. Abuelazam most recently lived in a house belonging to his uncle on Maryland Avenue, on Flint's east side.[11]

Abuelazam married Jessica Hirth (also known as Jessica Nimitz[21] and Jessica Abuelazam[22]) on July 30, 2004. He reportedly subjected her to emotional abuse.[23] After they divorced in 2007, Abuelazam married again.[24][1] Jessica and her parents later expressed shock after he was accused of the murders and stabbings.[24][21][14][20]

Crimes

Police and prosecutors claim that between May and August 2010, Abuelazam would drive around late at night, approach small-framed men who were walking alone, ask for directions or help fixing his vehicle, a green-colored Chevrolet TrailBlazer, and then stab them, usually in the chest or stomach.[7] Abuelazam's alleged victims have been mostly black, and police in Leesburg suspect the attacks may have been racially motivated, since the population there is mostly white. Genesee County prosecutors, however, have declined to speculate on his motive, while noting the population of Flint is mostly black.[25]

Abuelazam is also suspected of having stabbed a friend in the face with a screwdriver while on a visit to his family in Ramla in early 2010. Police did not pursue the case because the friend refused to press charges.[26]

Leesburg Police have said Abuelazam is also a suspect in an unsolved homicide from March 2009.[27]

Investigation

In Genesee County on August 4, 2010, it was announced that a series of stabbings dating back to May 2010 were the work of one man, and a multi-jurisdictional task force was set up to investigate.[28] The next week on August 9, 2010 police in Leesburg connected three hammer attacks against black men there via their victims' descriptions of the suspect, video surveillance footage of the attacks that matches his description and vehicle, and the similar mode of operation.[29] The next day Toledo Police claimed a stabbing of a black man there also matched the suspect.[30]

Arrests

First arrest

Abuelazam was arrested August 5, 2010 in Arlington, Virginia, during a traffic stop. He was taken into custody because he had a warrant out for his arrest for simple assault and later released on personal bond.[31]

Second arrest and extradition

Abuelazam was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on August 11, 2010 at 10:00 p.m. ET in Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, while preparing to board a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Tel Aviv.[11] On August 13, 2010 he waived his right to fight extradition to Michigan.[32] Abuelazam's family hired Lansing based attorneys Brian Morley and Edwar Zeineh.[33] He was flown to Flint on August 26, 2010 and lodged in the Genesee County Jail.[34]

Abuelazam was held in solitary confinement, likely for his safety and because he is suspected of extremely violent crimes against black men in a city whose population is 56% black.[35] At his arraignment, he was ordered held without bond by the judge, even after the prosecutor asked for $10 million bail.

Arnold Minor murder trial

During the evidentiary hearing for the Arnold Minor murder case, the judge ruled that evidence of the other Genesee County attacks could be used in the trial.[36] The trial began on May 8, 2012. The prosecution's key piece of evidence was a drop of Minor's blood on a pair of pants found in Abeulezam's luggage. On May 15 the prosecution rested after calling 50 witnesses, including other victims and their relatives, as well as several forensic experts, in addition to Abuelazam's uncle, who assisted police in his capture.[37]

Two days later on May 17, Abuelazam's attorneys presented an insanity defense. Their sole expert witness was a psychiatrist hired by his attorneys who diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia and said Abuelazam told him he committed the crimes because of "evil spirits." The doctor also said Abuelazam told him he attempted suicide in 1997 and was diagnosed as psychotic by an Israeli psychologist in 2009.[38] The prosecution responded by attacking the psychiatrist's credibility, noting that his field of expertise was addiction medicine. The next day, the prosecution refuted the psychiatrist's diagnosis with two of their own mental health experts.[39]

Two psychologists who testified on behalf of the prosecution agreed that although Abuelazam has an unspecified personality disorder and he lacked empathy, his attacks were too planned out and organized for him to be considered legally insane.[40][41] On May 22, 2012, after only an hour of deliberation, the jury found Abuelazam guilty of Minor's murder.[5] On June 25, 2012, Abuelazam was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[2]

Dismissed charges

On August 26, 2010 the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office charged him with one count of assault with intent to commit murder for an attack on July 27, 2010.[31] On September 20, 2010 he was charged with four additional counts of assault to commit murder. The victims in those crimes are: Bill Fisher, who was attacked June 26, 2010; Richard Booker, who was attacked July 19, 2010 in Genesee Township, Michigan; Etwan Wilson, who was attacked August 1, 2010 near Pierson Road in northern Flint; and Da'Von Rawls of Flint.[42]

On October 8, 2010 an Ohio grand jury indicted Abuelazam and charged him with felonious assault in the stabbing of church janitor Tony Leno in Toledo, Ohio.[43]

On October 21, 2010 he was charged with murder in the stabbing deaths of Frank Kellybrew and Darwin Marshall of Flint, Michigan.[44]

On November 4, 2010 he was charged with two counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer causing injury and three counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer after he attempted to punch a deputy and had to be tasered with the help of four other officers on October 27, 2010. [45]

On November 12, 2010 he was charged with malicious destruction of property for smashing out the windows of a car belonging to James Augsberger, boyfriend of witness Lucinda Mann.[46]

On November 23, 2010 he was charged with assault with intent to murder in the stabbing of Antoine Jackson on July 12, 2010 in Burton, Michigan.[4][47]

Appeals

Abuelazam hired a new attorney, Christopher M. Smith, who filed an appeal based on the original trial judge's rejection of a motion for a change of venue due to the extensive media coverage of the case which, they claimed, wrongly called him a serial killer, and refuted the judge's decision to allow evidence of the other attacks or testimony of his other alleged victims. On June 10, 2014, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld Abuelazam's conviction.[48] Smith then appealed that decision to the Michigan Supreme Court, which declined to hear it on November 25, 2014.[49]

Deportation lawsuit

On August 1, 2014 Abuelazam filed a case in federal court against the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Attorney General asking to be deported to Israel to face charges of an attempted murder that happened in Latrun on October 1, 2009. Michigan authorities believed the lawsuit to be frivolous and expected it to be dismissed, noting that it is legally impossible because of Abuelazam's life without parole status, since convicts cannot be deported until their full sentence is served.[50][51]

The Abuelezam case was profiled on a July 8, 2013 episode of the Investigation Discovery show Blood, Lies & Alibis titled "Serial Slasher." It featured re-enactments of some of his attacks, the investigation and his arrest, actual footage of some of his attacks and his arrest and trial, as well as testimony by Genesee County law enforcement officials, local media, surviving victims, and Arnold Minor's relatives.[52]

See also

Further reading

References
  1. Israeli Elias Abuelazam appears in US court accused of racist murders The Guardian August 13, 2010
  2. Flint serial slasher Elias Abuelezam sentenced to life in prison The Flint Journal via MLive.com, June 25, 2012
  3. Flint serial stabber Elias Abuelazam confesses to Virginia killing The Flint Journal, via MLive.com, May 2, 2017
  4. Serial stabbing suspect Elias Abuelazam to stand trial WEYI-TV Posted: 12.09.2010 at 5:29 AM
  5. GUILTY: Flint serial killer Elias Abuelazam convicted by 'mountains of evidence' The Flint Journal via MLive.com, May 22, 2012
  6. On hold: Future trials for accused serial killer Elias Abuelazam suspended The Flint Journal via MLive.com, October 5, 2012
  7. "Suspected Israeli serial killer arrested in U.S.," Haaretz August 12, 2010
  8. "Serial Stabbing Suspect a 'Gentle Giant,' But With Alleged History of Violence", CBS August 13, 2010
  9. "Israeli 'serial killer' described as 'bulky, frightening character',", Eli Senyor, Israel News August 12, 2010
  10. "Portrait of stabbing suspect emerges," MSNBC August 13, 2010
  11. "Details about suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam," Published: Thursday, August 12, 2010, Flint Journal.
  12. "UPDATE: Leesburg stabbing spree—crime blog". LoudounTimes.com. 2010-08-12. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  13. Glod, Maria; Gibson, Caitlin (2010-08-13). "Man suspected as 'Flint serial killer' tried to settle in Northern Virginia". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  14. "Abuelazam's arrest confounds mother, ex-wife's family | Detroit Free Press". freep.com. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  15. Rufus, Anneli (2010-08-12). "Serial-Stabbing Suspect Was a Mental-Health Worker". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  16. Kristin Longley (2010-08-12). "Court records show suspected Flint serial stabber worked as mental health technician". MLive.com. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  17. "Serial stabbing suspect won't fight extradition to Michigan | New York Post". Nypost.com. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  18. "Stabbings suspect won't fight extradition - TODAY News". TODAY.com. 2010-08-13. Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  19. "Police Say Israeli Stabbed at Least 18 African-American Men". Salem-News.Com. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  20. "Serial Stabbing Suspect Waives Extradition to Michigan | NBC4 Washington". Nbcwashington.com. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  21. "Stabbing Spree Suspect Elias Abuelazam Arrested at Atlanta Airpo - KMSP-TV". Myfoxtwincities.com. 2010-08-12. Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  22. "Abuelazam Headed Back to Michigan After Hearing | 11alive.com". Origin.11alive.com. 2010-08-13. Archived from the original on 2013-08-25. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  23. "Accused serial killer's ex-wife lives in Dallas area, her father speaks". Wxyz.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  24. Melissa Burden. "Elias Abuelazam's ex-mother-in-law in disbelief former son-in-law is Flint serial stabber suspect". MLive.com. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  25. Experts unsure if attacks are racially motivated WJRT-TV August 10, 2010 Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  26. "Abuelazam was suspect in Israel," Associated Press, 8/13/20, Jerusalem Post.
  27. Va. Police Eye Stabbing Suspect In '09 Slaying WNEM-TV August 13, 2010
  28. Genesee County serial killer asks for victims' help before stabbing The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) August 4, 2010
  29. Flint stabbings may be related to Leesburg, Virginia stabbings Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine WJRT-TV August 9, 2010
  30. Police say slasher vehicle was caught on tape Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine WJRT-TV August 10, 2010
  31. Serial slashing suspect in custody Archived 2010-08-16 at the Wayback Machine WJRT-TV August 12, 2010
  32. Slashing suspect agrees to return to Michigan Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine WJRT-TV August 13, 2010
  33. Two Lansing attorneys representing suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) August 13, 2010
  34. Suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam arrives at Flint's Bishop International Airport, on way to Genesee County Jail The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) August 26, 2010
  35. Suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam will be one of 13 inmates in solitary confinement at Genesee County Jail The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) August 26, 2010
  36. Judge orders evidence from other Elias Abuelazam cases to be admissible in Arnold Minor murder The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) October 28, 2011
  37. Prosecutors rest case 1st trial tied to Mich. serial stabbings; survivor identifies attacker The Washington Post, May 15, 2012
  38. Psychiatrist hired by defense attorney says suspected serial killer Elias Abuelazam suffered from paranoid schizophrenia The Flint Journal via MLive.com, May 17, 2012
  39. Prosecution goes on the attack against defense's psychiatrist in suspected serial killer Elias Abuelazam trial The Flint Journal via MLive.com, May 17, 2012
  40. State psychologist testifies suspected serial killer suffered from personality disorder, showed lack of empathy The Flint Journal via MLive.com, May 18, 2012
  41. Another psychologist for the prosecution says suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam was not paranoid schizophrenic The Flint Journal via MLive.com, May 18, 2012
  42. Abuelazam charged with open murder in Arnold Minor homicide; victims blood found in vehicle The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) September 20, 2010
  43. Suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam indicted in Ohio MLive.com via Associated Press October 8, 2010
  44. Suspected serial killer Elias Abuelazam's attorney says two charges no surprise The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) October 21, 2010
  45. Suspected serial stabber Elias Abuelazam arraigned on 5 counts of assaulting a police officer. The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) November 4, 2010
  46. Elias Abuelazam bound over on MDOP charge; witness says Abuelazam smashed in windows The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) November 12, 2010
  47. Suspected serial killer Elias Abuelazam faces additional assault with intent to murder charge The Flint Journal (via MLive.com) November 23, 2010
  48. Suspected Flint serial stabber Elias Abuelazam's murder conviction upheld by appeals court The Flint Journal via MLive.com, June 10, 2014
  49. Michigan Supreme Court declines to hear suspected Flint serial stabber Elias Abuelazam's appeal The Flint Journal via MLive.com, November 26, 2014
  50. Accused Flint serial killer Elias Abuelazam sues feds for return to Israel The Flint Journal via MLive.com, August 26, 2014
  51. Serial Stabbing Suspect Sues U.S. to Be Sent to Israel Haaretz, August 27, 2014
  52. "'Serial slasher' Elias Abuelazam case featured on television program". MLive.com. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
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