Suspect Identified in 2017 Maple Shade Murders After Laptop DNA Links Him to Crime

After an eight-year investigation, authorities have identified 38-year-old Nazeer Hameed as the prime suspect in the brutal 2017 killings of Sasikala Narra, 38, and her 6-year-old son, Anish, inside their Maple Shade apartment.

On March 23, 2017, Hanumanth "Hanu" Narra returned home from work and discovered his wife and son fatally stabbed in their Hamilton Road residence. An autopsy found both victims died of multiple stab wounds and that Anish had been nearly decapitated; both victims also displayed defensive wounds.

Investigators recovered a tiny droplet of blood at the scene that did not match either victim. Forensic analysis indicated the sample came from a male of Central Asian ancestry, a profile consistent with Hameed, who lived in the same apartment complex and worked for the same employer as the Narra family.

"There was carnage here. A mother and a young child who spent their last moments fighting for their lives," said Maple Shade Police Chief Christopher Fletcher, describing the scene.

Hameed left the United States and returned to India about six months after the murders. Investigators say he was later identified as a person of interest after evidence suggested he had stalked Hanu Narra. Authorities sought a DNA sample from Hameed for years; U.S. requests reportedly went unfulfilled after Hameed refused to provide a sample in 2020 and a mutual legal assistance request was not completed.

Detectives ultimately obtained Hameed’s DNA from a company-issued laptop after the employer complied with a subpoena. A forensic examination of the keyboard produced a DNA profile consistent with the unknown blood droplet recovered at the crime scene.

"This development provided strong physical evidence that confirmed what our investigation had already determined," said BCPO Lt. Brian Cunningham.

Prosecutors emphasized that a definitive motive has not been established, and noted that motive is not required to pursue a murder conviction in New Jersey.

"He committed this crime; there is no doubt in our minds that he is responsible. We are hopeful that he will be extradited," said BCPO Chief of Investigations Patrick J. Thornton.

Local residents expressed relief after charges were announced, and the prosecutor's office said it is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State to seek Hameed’s extradition so he can face charges in Burlington County. Sasikala Narra’s family attorney described the deaths as devastating, saying the family had been "a spectacular family — mother, father and child."

Authorities continue to pursue legal and diplomatic avenues to bring the suspect to the United States to face prosecution.