Tyrese Haspil, a tech CEO’s personal assistant, is claiming that he beheaded his boss in a crime of passion. Haspil’s defense attorney, Sam Roberts, argued in court that his client’s desperate attempt to cover up the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars motivated him to commit the heinous act. The defendant was fearful that his French girlfriend, Marine Chaveuz, would leave him if she discovered his embezzlement.

According to prosecutors, Haspil forced his way into the Lower East Side apartment of Fahim Saleh, the CEO of Gokada, a Nigerian motorbike startup. To ensure Saleh’s silence, Haspil allegedly tasered him and then stabbed him to death. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Ford revealed that Haspil had meticulously planned the murder to erase his debt and prevent Saleh from testifying in criminal proceedings.

The motive for the crime traces back to January 2020 when Saleh confronted Haspil about missing money from a corporate spending account. Although the stolen funds were traced back to Haspil, Saleh decided not to press charges and allowed him to repay the debt through a payment plan. However, Haspil continued stealing from Saleh’s company through a PayPal account, eventually getting caught again.

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Prosecutors provided a detailed account of the alleged killing. Haspil, disguised with a mask, reportedly used a Taser on Saleh before stabbing him and ultimately dismembering his body. The cleanup after the murder proved to be inadequate, as Haspil failed to remove a crucial “anti-felon disk” identification tag. This disk linked the Taser to a previous order Haspil had made to his Brooklyn address, directly implicating him in the crime.

Saleh’s body was discovered by his cousin, who found his torso exposed in the living room alongside construction bags. The murder sent shockwaves through the community, leading to a nationwide manhunt for the suspect. Surprisingly, Haspil was seen just two days after the murder in the company of a mysterious woman, purchasing birthday balloons and planning a celebration at an Airbnb.

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Tyrese Haspil has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges, which could result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment. His defense team is hoping for a manslaughter conviction with a lighter sentence of five to 25 years, citing Haspil’s claim of suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance.” Roberts, his attorney, argued that Haspil’s traumatic childhood and past abuse by his schizophrenic mother influenced his actions.

As the trial unfolds, the courtroom remains captivated by the horrific details of Fahim Saleh’s tragic and gruesome murder. The jury will ultimately decide whether to accept Haspil’s “emotionally disturbed” defense or hold him accountable for first-degree murder, ensuring justice prevails for the victim and his grieving loved ones.

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