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The untimely death of Tahereh Ghassemi in April 2015 witnessed justice as her ex-husband, the 72-year-old Hamid Ghassemi, was convicted of first-degree murder after eight years in August of 2023. A resident of Louisiana, Tahereh Ghassemi, was shot dead by three hitmen hired by former husband to avoid paying his ex-wife $1 million in judgment.
The three hitmen hired for the task were paid $10,000 by Ghassemi. On April 11, 2015, Daniel Richter and Skyler Williams reportedly abducted Tahereh, transporting her to a wooded area in St. Helena Parish, where Tyler Ashpaugh fatally shot her in the head.
The Dateline NBC episode titled The Ultimate Betrayal chronicles the death of Tahereh Ghassemi as it airs on November 29, 2023, at 10 pm EST on NBC. The synopsis reads,
"After Tahereh Ghassemi disappears from the Louisiana home she shares with her adult son, detectives discover that she'd recently come into a great deal of money; the investigation reveals an astonishing plot with international implications."
Who was Tahereh Ghassemi? Details explored
Tahereh Ghassemi, a 54-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was born to Nosrat Ghassemi in Bam, Iran, on June 22, 1960. After immigrating to the United States, Tahereh learned how to speak English fluently and took up a job. She was married to Hamid Ghassemi, a car dealer in Baton Rouge, Iran in 1976. They had a son, Hamed Ghassemi, whom they brought to the United States after he turned 18.
Episode 16 of the ongoing Season 32 of Dateline NBC showcases the Tahereh Ghassemi murder case in detail since she was abducted, shot and buried on April 11, 2015.
What happened to Tahereh Ghassemi?
Tahereh Ghassemi was abducted from her North Laurel Creek home on April 11, 2015, and placed inside the trunk of a car by three hitmen, Daniel Richter, Tyler Ashpaugh, and Skyler Williams. According to the prosecutors, Hamid Ghassemi paid $10,000 for their services. Subsequently, Tahereh was driven to a secluded wood in St. Helena Parish where she was shot at point-blank range by one of the hitmen, Tyler Ashpaugh, with a 22-caliber revolver.
Richter testified to the jurors, saying that the three men had met before the abduction to dig a grave at St. Helena Parish for Tahereh before they headed to her home to inject her with insulin. She allegedly experienced seizures induced by the injections, after which she was taken to the wooded area, where she was fatally shot in the head.
Hamid had also reportedly wanted his son, Hamed, killed along with Tahereh. He wanted a second grave dug for Hamed, according to the testimonies provided by the hitmen. However, Hamed was not present at home when the men broke into their residence.
Tahereh was scheduled to leave for a trip to her homeland in April 2015, according to WBRZ-TV. Richter said that the timing was perfect, besides the fact that Hamid was scared about never seeing his wealth again. According to WAFB Channel 9, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux added that Hamid was scheduled to pay the victim over $1.1 million and two houses as part of their divorce settlement.
According to one of the three hitmen, Daniel Richter, Hamid was fairly confident about the execution, and he never asked the men to reconsider the plan. Richter went back the following day to bury Tahereh in the shallow grave the three men had dug for her.
Where are the four suspects in the Ghassemi murder case now?
The three men hired had been convicted of first-degree murder, and they pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Skyler Williams and Daniel Richter are presently serving their 30-year prison sentence, while Tyler Ashpaugh passed away in custody, awaiting his sentence in January 2023. Meanwhile, Hamid Ghassemi was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in August 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison on September 19, 2023.
