Assistant Killed CEO In US To Hide $400k Theft And Prevent Breakup With Girlfriend: Lawyers

Tyrese Haspil, the personal assistant to a tech CEO, is on trial for the brutal murder of his boss, Fahim Saleh. Haspil's defence claims he acted in a "crime of passion" after embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Saleh, according to The New York Post.

Saleh reportedly discovered the theft but opted not to press charges, allowing Haspil to repay the money. However, Haspil allegedly continued stealing and faced renewed threats of legal action.

According to The Post, prosecutors believe Haspil meticulously planned the murder, using a taser and then dismembering the body. Evidence presented includes a cleaning product tag linked to a taser purchased by Haspil and found at the crime scene.

Despite claiming emotional distress and a traumatic childhood as a defence, prosecutors argue Haspil used Saleh's stolen funds to shower a new girlfriend with gifts just days after the murder.

Haspil faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. His defence hopes for a manslaughter conviction with a lighter sentence due to his alleged emotional state.

"Over this period of time, he was planning not only to commit the homicide but to get away with it... To cover it up and how to erase his debt and prevent Fahim Saleh from testifying in criminal proceedings," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Ford told the court.

According to sources cited by The Post, Haspil allegedly used Saleh's credit cards for transportation to and from a Home Depot store on West 23rd Street to purchase supplies for cleaning up the murder scene. Prosecutors provided the jury with a detailed account of Saleh's alleged killing. They stated that Haspil, wearing a mask, incapacitated Saleh with a Taser, then stabbed him before dismembering his body a day later, including decapitation.

Following the murder, Haspil attempted to clean the crime scene, but his efforts were insufficient. Notably, he failed to remove a single "anti-felon disc" identification tag, which was later discovered at the scene. This disc contained a unique number that matched the Taser Haspil had reportedly ordered to his Brooklyn address one month prior to the murder, according to prosecutors.