Man admits killing ex-wife, burying body in front of son
An Ohio man accused of strangling his ex-wife and burying her remains in front of the couple's toddler son has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Fahad Saeed, 28, pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges including involuntary manslaughter as part of a deal with prosecutors.
In exchange for his admission of guilt, the prosecution agreed to drop an aggravated murder charge carrying a life sentence.
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Plea deal: Fahad Saeed, 28, is pictured in an Ohio courtroom on Thursday entering a guilty plea to the 206 strangulation death of his ex-wife
Saeed (left) was sentenced to 25 years for the killing of 25-year-old Roaa Al-Dhannoon (right), whom he then buried as his three-year-old son watched
When given a chance to speak at his sentencing on Thursday, Saeed said through an Arabic interpreter about his crime, 'Things happen,' reported Cleveland.com
Saeed's ex-wife, 25-year-old Roaa Al-Dhannoon, disappeared in October 2016. Her remains were found in May 2017 in a wooded area across from a Cleveland-area amusement park.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Blaise Thomas said the couple's three-year-old son told investigators that his mother was 'near the horses,' an apparent reference to the park's carousel.
Prosecutors say Saeed drew a map to the woman's body while he was jailed for violating a protective order. He gave the map to another inmate, who handed it over to investigators.
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Key clue: Saeed (left) drew a map to his missing ex-wife's body while he was jailed for violating a protective order against her
Resting place: Al-Dhannoon's body was found in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn behind an apartment block in May 2017
Al-Dhannoon was last seen alive on October 16, 2016, at her Lakewood, Ohio, apartment.
She was reported missing three days later by concerned family and friends, who told police she had never been away from her son.
In February 2017, Saeed was sentenced to six months in jail for violating a restraining order before his ex-wife disappeared.
Then on May 15, 2017, officers acting on the inmate's tip came across a container filled with human remains near a ravine, in a wooded area across from the Memphis Kiddie Park, reported Fox8.
A medical examiner later confirmed the remains were Al-Dhannoon's. She was identified by her fingerprints.
Following the discovery of the body, investigators interviewed Saeed in jail about Al-Dhannoon's death without telling him she had been found, and the ex-husband finally confessed. He had denied involvement in her death during five previous interviews.
Upon serving out his prison sentence, Saeed, who is an Iraqi national residing in the US on a green card visa, could face deportation.
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