Read on, and see why at least one customer is shocked and dismayed to learn about an investigation that has rocked the neighborhood …
Neighbors and customers say they’re dismayed to learn of a “murder for hire” plot hatched by men – apparently partners – in this neighborhood convenience store.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
“Can you believe it? This just blows my mind!” Dariel Green told East Portland News, after running across SE 122nd Avenue at SE Lincoln Street, clutching his purchases from the “Stop-N-Go-Market”, a Mill Park Neighborhood independent convenience store.
“This is like something from a movie, or one of those ‘cops-and-crooks’ TV shows,” Green continued. “I’ve shopped here for years – and now, they say someone [that the owner] knows put out a ‘contract’ on him, to shoot him in the head!”
Police accuse this man, 49-year-old Mohdsidek Habibullah, with plotting to kill his associate.
Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Public Information Officer Sgt. Pete Simpson said simply, “On June 12, Portland Police arrested 49-year-old Mohdsidek Habibullah of Southeast Portland in connection with a plot to kill his associate.”
Homicide detectives began the investigation on the day before, Simpson reported. “After detectives received information about the plot, and determined that the information was credible, they began to conduct a further investigation, leading to this arrest.”
According to Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office records, Habibullah was arrested at 1:37 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center at 7:55 p.m. that evening, charged with Solicitation for Aggravated Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and Attempted Murder.
Habibullah and his allegedly intended victim, 45-year-old Mohammed Absar, weren’t strangers – public records indicate they are business partners.
Although the intended victim is the president of the company that runs this store; it appears as if his associate owns the property.
According to Multnomah County Assessment & Taxation Office records, the owner Stop-N-Go-Market property listed on Warranty Deed – executed in September, 2007 – is “Mohdsidek Habibullah”.
However, the State of Oregon Corporate Division records show that the market business is owned by “Absar Inc.” – Registry Number 259216-93 assigned in 2004 – shows Mohammed Absar as president, and Mohdsidek Habibullah as secretary.
When Habibullah was subsequently arraigned the following day, Thursday afternoon, in Multnomah County Circuit Court, on charges of solicitation to commit aggravated murder, criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, criminal conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
At the Multnomah County Circuit Court appearance, it came out that Habibullah allegedly had contacted a killer-for-hire.
Instead of following through, according to court records, the contract killer warned the intended victim, and then contacted police.
With a court order in hand, a PPB homicide detective helped the alleged accomplice-turned-informant put on a “body wire”, to record a conversation between him and Habibullah.
Court-authorized, surreptitious recordings indicate that Habibullah allegedly planned to kill his associate behind this market.
Apparently Habibullah’s surreptitiously recorded conversation convinced detectives that the murder plot was genuine, and that the suspect was ready and able to carry out the killing.
As of this writing, Habibullah remains in the Multnomah County Detention Center in lieu of $500,000 bail for two charges, Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Attempted Murder – which are both Class A Felonies.
© 2013 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News
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