February 11, 2009

    LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that his office has charged Musaid Ahmed Saeed, 57, of Detroit, with felony murder and arson charges in connection to a September 2004 fire which resulted in the deaths of Hanie Ali Abdallah and Ismael M. Saleh.  Abdallah and Saleh were hired by Saeed to set his Coldwater building on fire in order to collect funds on the insurance policy covering the building.

    "This is a terrible tragedy that was rooted in greed," said Cox.  "My office is committed to holding this defendant responsible for his actions."

    An investigation by the Coldwater Police Department found evidence that the two deceased men were part of an "arson for hire" plot to collect on the insurance policy.  It is alleged that Saeed hired Abdallah and Saleh to carry out the arson.  The building, which was not occupied at the time of the blaze, formerly housed a pizzeria, a photography studio, and an Arab-American Cultural Center.

    Musaid Saeed is charged with four felony counts and faces life in prison:

·         Two counts of first degree murder, which carries a life sentence;

·         One count of conspiracy to commit arson, a 10 year and/or $10,000 felony;

·         One count of arson to real property, a 10 year felony.

    "The defendant's reckless actions caused two deaths, and could have caused more damage and harm to others who were near or at the site," continued Cox.  "I would like to thank the Coldwater Police Department for their hard work in solving this cold case."

    This cold case is the latest prosecution by the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigations.  The unit was formed by Cox in 2003 to investigate and prosecute public corruption cases and cold case homicides.  The unit has succeeded in numerous cold case convictions, including the cold case deaths of Janet Chandler of Holland and Christopher Brown of Flint.

    A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 
 

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