Woman accused of murdering her husband awaiting extradition to US to face charges

SINGAPORE – A woman who fled the United States after she allegedly instigated her lover to murder her husband is now awaiting extradition from Singapore to face trial.

Saudi Arabia national Fadaak Sahar Osama A. was arrested in a Singapore hotel in September 2022. A formal extradition request from the US was submitted on Nov 22.

On Dec 21, she was produced before District Judge Chee Min Ping. Evidence was given by the state, represented by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, in support of its request for Fadaak to be committed to prison, pending the Law Minister’s order for her surrender to the US.

Judge Chee ordered the woman to await the Law Minister’s warrant. Under the Extradition Act, she can apply for a review of the order and will not be surrendered until after 15 days have passed from the date of the judge’s order, unless she waives her right to a review.

The evidence included an autopsy report on the victim Darwin Garcia Franco, mobile phone records including deleted call logs, and photographs of Fadaak and Saif Al Obaidi – the man who allegedly stabbed the victim – taken on Fadaak’s birthday while Mr Garcia Franco was out of town.

In a written judgment published on Tuesday, Judge Chee found that sufficient evidence has been presented to show a strong case that Fadaak had committed the alleged offences, justifying her extradition.

She is wanted in the US on two charges – one for first-degree murder and the other for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder against her husband.

Fadaak left the US on a one-way flight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with her child three months after the killing in May 2019. Details of how she ended up in Singapore were not mentioned in the judgment.

At the time of the alleged murder, she was living with her husband and their son on the upper floor of a split-level apartment in Kirkland, Washington. The lower floor was occupied by Ms Nelida Zuniga and three children.

According to an affidavit by the lead investigator of the Kirkland Police Department, Fadaak and her alleged accomplice, Al Obaidi, had a romantic relationship and met from time to time in her personal apartment in Bellevue, Washington.

Investigations showed that on May 17, 2019, Mr Garcia Franco confronted Fadaak over his belief that she was unfaithful.

On May 22, 2019, Fadaak began looking for life insurance coverage for her husband. She was informed by an insurance salesman that the policy premium could be reduced if her husband first obtained a physical examination, but she insisted that she needed insurance immediately.

On May 28, 2019, Fadaak submitted a policy request with a US$250,000 (S$330,500) life benefit, listing her and her child as beneficiaries.

The next day, she was told that her husband could not be insured as he did not have citizenship.

On May 31, 2019, Al Obaidi entered the residence and attacked Mr Garcia Franco while he was asleep, stabbing him about 30 times. Investigations showed no signs of forced entry.

Ms Zuniga tried to intervene but was also stabbed multiple times.

After chasing Mr Garcia Franco down the hallway, Al Obaidi continued his attack on Ms Zuniga.

She suffered about 18 stab wounds but survived.

Ms Zuniga later told investigators that Fadaak had stood by and watched quietly as Al Obaidi attacked Mr Garcia Franco.

She said Al Obaidi did not attempt to harm Fadaak, and the latter did not scream or try to stop the attack on her husband.

But in a seemingly frantic phone call to the police at about 2.10am on the same day, Fadaak claimed that somebody had come to her residence and an altercation had ensued.

The dispatcher asked if Fadaak recognised the person. She claimed to have seen only her husband covered in blood and did not mention Al Obaidi.

Police officers who arrived at the scene found a knife under Mr Garcia Franco’s bed.

In interviews with the police, Fadaak continued to omit mention that Al Obaidi was at the apartment.

She showed investigators her mobile call records, but it was later ascertained that certain records of calls with Al Obaidi on May 30, 2019, had been deleted.

It was also established that several calls to the insurance companies made by Fadaak on May 30, 2019, were placed from her Bellevue apartment, while Al Obaidi was with her.

Investigators discovered calls from his phone to Fadaak at 2.14am and 2.29am on May 31, 2019.

Arrested on the same day, he was charged with the murder of Mr Garcia Franco in the first degree and attempted first-degree murder. He is being held in pre-trial confinement with no bail.

Fadaak flew to the UAE on Sept 4, 2019, and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

On Sept 25, 2022, following a request by the US, a team of police officers arrested her at the Parkroyal hotel in Beach Road in Singapore. The US and Saudi Arabia embassies were informed.