A Plea For Justice

$200,000 for a clue: Mysterious Houston medical student murder brings largestcash reward ever

Ali and Kaveh Bagherzadeh, the victim's brothers, told a small crowd ofreporters that the family is seeking only justice for their sister's murder.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Medical student Gelareh Bagherzadeh was mysteriously gunned down in her carafter returning home from a late night study session in January.
Americans for Freedom in Iran
Alongside members of the victim's family, sergeant J.C. Padilla of the HoustonPolice Department announced a $200,000 on behalf of Crime Stoppers during aTuesday afternoon press conference.
Photo by Tyler Rudick

As investigators still search for clues in the bizarre unsolved January murder of Iranian-born medical student Gelareh Bagherzadeh, Houston Crime Stoppers announced at a Tuesday afternoon press conference it will be offering a $200,000 cash reward — the largest in the national organization's history.

Nearly four months after the killing at a Galleria-area residential complex, sergeant J.C. Padilla of the Houston Police Department told reporters that the investigation has not turned up a motive for the shooting. Many early reports wondered if the murder was a result of Bagherzadeh's outspoken criticism of Iranian human rights abuses.

"Crime Stoppers is a private organization and has nothing to do with HPD," said Ali Bagherzadeh, the victim's brother. "All the phone calls are anonymous and there's no caller ID."

"We're considering everything, not ruling out anything," Padilla said. "The more and more we talk to people, the more we realize we need the community's help in solving this investigation. We've done it in the past with Crime Stoppers and have been very successful.

"We can do it again, but we need the public's help."

Returning from a study session at her boyfriend's home just after midnight on Jan. 16, Bagherzadeh was gunned down in the parking lot of her parents' townhouse complex. After the shooting, her car crashed into a nearby residential garage. Nothing was reported stolen from the vehicle.

"One person out there must know who did this," said her brother Ali Bagherzadeh, who was joined by the members of his family at the press conference. "Crime Stoppers is a private organization and has nothing to do with HPD. All the phone calls are anonymous and there's no caller ID . . . Please step forward and do the right thing. We want only justice."

The Bagherzadeh family has set up a website with information on the shooting and links for possible tipsters.

"Rewards of this size and type work," explained Houston Crime Stoppers executive director Katherine Cabaniss, who discussed a series of murders in Clear Lake that were solved three years after they occurred thanks to a $100,000 reward, then the organization highest amount ever offered.

"We know that someone in the community knows who committed this crime," Cabaniss told the small crowd of reporters. "We are here to tell you that, today, one phone call with one name identifying the shooter that results in an arrest is worth up to $200,000."

Anyone with information about the murder of Gelareh Bagherzadeh is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. All tipsters will remain anonymous.

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Courtesy of Houston First Corp.

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