21-year-old Nepali student murder: Suspect identified

KATHMANDU: Authorities in Houston have identified and arrested a suspect in the murder of 21-year-old Nepali student Muna Pandey.

The Houston Police Department on Thursday revealed that the suspect, who has been charged with Pandey’s murder, is 51-year-old Bobby Singh Shah.

Shah was apprehended based on a CCTV image that captured him at a traffic light. Eyewitnesses reported seeing him in the vicinity when the vehicle stopped, leading to his arrest.

Shah has been charged with capital murder, the most serious form of homicide in Texas, which could carry the death penalty.

According to court documents, Shah is accused of intentionally shooting and killing Muna Pande during an armed robbery.

The charges against Shah have been filed in the 262nd State District Court, and he is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, Sept 3.

Additionally, Shah faces another charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon. This charge stems from his possession of an uncovered weapon in his vehicle, for which he is set to appear in court on Thursday, September 5. Shah is currently being held in Harris County Jail.

The investigation began when Muna Pandey was found dead in her apartment on Monday evening with a gunshot wound.

Police were notified after she was discovered, and upon arrival at 5:35 PM, officers pronounced her dead at the scene. Pandey was the only child in her family.

Authorities suspect that the incident may have occurred on Saturday, as Pandey’s phone had been switched off since then.

However, the exact timing and circumstances of the murder remain unclear, and police continue to investigate the motive behind the crime.