San Jose police arrest both sons over murder of Bangladeshi-American parents at US home

Police in San Jose, California have arrested Hasib Bin Golam Rabbi and his 17-year old brother suspecting their involvement in the murder of their Bangladeshi-American parents.

Hasib, 22, was arrested in Tracy, California and his brother in San Jose on Wednesday, San Jose Police Department (SJPD) said in an updated media release on Thursday.

The elder brother was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail while the other into the Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall for murder, the SJPD said.

“There are no outstanding suspects. The victims were the suspects' parents. No additional details will be provided about the investigation,” reads the release.

Friends called police after finding 59-year old Golam Rabbi and his wife Shamima Rabbi, 57, dead in their San Jose house on Sunday, local media reported. Each of them had been shot at least once.

Hasib Bin Golam Rabbi. Photo: SJPD

Golam, a younger brother of Imdad Sitara Khan Foundation Chairperson Sitara, was an engineer and Shamima an accountant. They had been living in the United States for decades.

A note was found in the house that read, "Sorry, my first kill was clumsy."

Police also found a longer note on the wall that read, "I can't be like you, telling a lie. I can't love someone without telling them."

This note led police to the conjecture that the couple were murdered by someone they knew.

After speaking to their younger son, who was not a suspect until then and whose name has not been released, police learnt that the elder son had been out of reach.

Finally, they arrested both the brothers on Wednesday night.

The Rabbi couple were members of the Evergreen Islamic Center and were described as “simple, gentle souls” by friends.