Yaser Said trial: Texas man found guilty of murdering teen daughters in 2008 ‘honor killing’ case

On Tuesday, Yaser Said, a 65-year-old Dallas man, was convicted for the 2008 murders of his two daughters, 18-year-old Amina Said and 17-year-old Sarah Said.

According to Texas prosecutors, Yaser Said fatally shot his daughters a week after they escaped with their mother to Oklahoma. His wife and children fled after he threatened to shoot them as he disapproved of their supposed non-conservative lifestyles.

Yesterday was the first day of the Yaser Said capital murder trial. He savagely killed both of his teen daughters in his taxi cab back in 2008. He was on the run for 12 years before the FBI finally up caught him. Dallas, Texas https://t.co/GElTfz317n

During their move to Oklahoma, the daughters were joined by their boyfriends, who Yaser Said disapproved of. Prosecutors have referred to the murders as "honor killings."

The alleged crime of Yaser Said

According to the New York Post, the older Said was a traditional Egyptian-American who did not like his daughters dating, as he preferred the idea of an arranged marriage.

Finally Justice for Amina & Sarah! Yaser Said found GUILTY in their murders. #YaserSaidTrial https://t.co/1Gp4z891Vt

As per Prosecutors, in December 2007, the younger daughter, Amina Said, revealed to her teachers that her mother, Patricia Owners planned to escape with her and her sister, as the family's women found the 56-year-old male's demands stifling.

In the email, Amina Said accused her father of displaying violent tendencies, as he had allegedly threatened to kill her in the past.

The email read:

"He will, without any drama nor doubt, kill us."

As per Dallas News, Amina Said had also told Texas authorities that Yaser Said also subjected her and her sister to physical and mental abuse.

In January 2008, after Amina and Sarah Said allegedly escaped with Patricia Owens, Yaser Said reportedly convinced the family's women to return home.

Yaser Said GUILTY!!! Finally, this monster is sentenced to life in prison without parole for taking the lives of his beautiful daughters Amina and Sara. I had the privilege of knowing both girls. They will forever be in my heart

According to prosecutors, he took his daughters out in the Taxi Cab, which he drove for work, before fatally shooting both of them. Amina Said was shot nine times, while Sarah Said suffered two gunshot wounds.

In her final moments, Sarah Said called 911, informing the responders that she had been shot.

According to arrest records, she said:

"Help, my dad shot me! I'm dying, I'm dying!"

As per Lauren Black, the lead prosecutor in the case, Said was supposedly motivated by narcissistic and controlling tendencies. Patricia Owens, the former wife of Yaser Said, condemned his actions.

She said:

"Yaser Said, you're a devil. You murdered your girls. I hope somebody gets their hands on you and hurt you and do everything you ever did to anybody."

She added:

"That's counting the nine bullets you put in Sarah. Nine. And she called 911. Amina two bullets in the heart."

The trial of Yaser Said started today. 13 years ago he murdered his teenage daughters in ‘honor’ because they were dating outside of their culture.He pleaded not guilty and accused the court of being islamophobic :/ Murdering your daughters for ‘honor’ is not an act of Islam.

Prosecutors announced in court that they are not pursuing the death sentence for Said. Instead, he was handed down life imprisonment.

Edited by Sayati Das

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