5 chilling details about Tahereh Ghassemi's murder

Modified Dec 12, 2024 15:56 GMT

Poster of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered (Image via NBC)

In April 2015, Tahereh Ghassemi vanished from her Baton Rouge home. That sparked a desperate search that uncovered a chilling conspiracy. Her disappearance ultimately led to the conviction of her ex-husband in a murder-for-hire plot.

On December 11, Dateline: Secrets Uncovered premieres at 8 pm on Oxygen, delving into real-life mysteries, investigative reporting, and justice. The episode thoroughly investigates the circumstances that led to her death, the subsequent investigation, and the unexpected revelations that followed.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer’s opinion about the murder of Tahereh Ghassemi. Reader discretion is advised.

5 chilling facts about Tahereh Ghassemi's murder

1) Tahereh Ghassemi went missing on April 11, 2015

Symbolic image for Tahereh's murder (Image via Unsplash)

On the evening of April 11, 2015, Tahereh Ghassemi did not return home. Hamed, her son, discovered her absence the following morning when he saw her purse still in the house and a pot of rice on the stove was still burning. Hamed was afraid that his mother would be angry with him for not returning home the previous night. However, there was no trace of her.

Her absence immediately gave rise to suspicions. First, it was thought that she was with friends. But Tahereh's blue Jaguar was later discovered in an abandoned industrial part of town. The location was almost six miles from her home.

2) Tahereh Ghassemi was abducted and killed by three hitmen

Reportedly, Tyler Ashpaugh, Skyler Williams, and Daniel Richter were the three hitmen who abducted Tahereh from her home. The attackers grabbed her, muffled her mouth, and dragged her into the kitchen to inject her with insulin, knocking her out. They wrapped her in Hamed's comforter and put her in her car. Then, she was transported to a remote wooded area near St. Helena Parish.

Ashpaugh fatally shot her in the head at that location, and her body was subsequently interred in a shallow grave. The meticulous planning and execution of the abduction emphasizes the calculated nature of the crime.

3) Hamid Ghassemi plotted the murder to avoid a divorce settlement

Tahereh Ghassemi and her former husband, Hamid Ghassemi, were involved in a contentious divorce. Reportedly, $1 million and two residential properties were awarded to her in the settlement.

Hamid orchestrated the murder-for-hire plot, paying $10,000 to the hitmen to eliminate Tahereh, motivated by financial motives and anger over the divorce. His actions were motivated by a desire to get away with the financial obligations imposed by the divorce settlement.

Also Read: Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - Was Jan Kruse's murder solved?

4) Hamid Ghassemi convicted of murder-for-hire

Symbolic image for Tahereh's murder (Image via Freepik)

Hamid Ghassemi was found guilty of first-degree murder in August 2023 for planning and executing the murder of Tahereh Ghassemi. The verdict was based on the confessions of the killers and proof that he was linked to the money paid to the hitmen.

On September 19, 2023, he was given a sentence of life in prison. This verdict gave the case a sense of justice and clarified that his horrible actions would have serious consequences.

5) One of the convicted hitmen passed away in custody

Tyler Ashpaugh was one of the three hitmen responsible for Tahereh Ghassemi's murder. Tyler passed away in custody due to a fentanyl overdose while awaiting his sentencing.

His passing accentuates the terrible effects of the crime on all the involved parties, adding still another layer of tragedy to the case. Skyler Williams and Daniel Richter were sentenced to thirty years in prison for their roles.

Stay tuned for more news and updates on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered and similar projects as the year progresses.

Edited by Rachith Rao