On October 20, 2009, I remember being shocked by the news from Peoria, Arizona. The local police were responding to urgent 911 reports at the Department of Economic Security building. A silver Jeep had struck two women in the parking lot, a horrific scene that left them both severely injured.
Noor Almaleki was run down by her father in his car
The victims were identified as Noor Almaleki, aged 20, and Amal Khalaf, aged 43. Rushed to the hospital, they were in critical condition, with Noor suffering from broken bones and brain injuries and Khalaf sustaining a broken pelvis among other injuries. Tire tracks and a fallen tree marked the site of the tragedy, while witnesses recounted the chilling details of the driver deliberately accelerating towards the women.
I learned that Noor and Amal were from Iraqi families who had settled in the U.S. in the 1990s. Noor, meaning ‘light of God’, was the oldest of seven children. Her father, Felah, a truck driver, and her mother, Sahem, a military interpreter, tried to maintain their traditional Iraqi culture in their new home. In contrast, Amal was more open to integrating Western cultural values into her family’s life.
The more I delved into the story, the more I realized this was no mere accident. The driver was identified as Felah Almaleki, Noor’s father. His actions were rooted in a deep-seated family conflict that stemmed from Noor’s desire for independence, which he saw as a betrayal of their cultural values. This conflict had escalated to an unthinkable level.
In 2007, Felah had pulled Noor out of school and sent her to Iraq for an arranged marriage. She returned to the U.S. a few months later, and her relationship with her father deteriorated further. Noor sought refuge with Amal and her son Marwan, whom she began dating. Felah’s rage grew when he discovered their relationship, seeing it as a dishonor to the family.
Just two months before the parking lot incident, Felah had visited Khalaf’s residence, demanding Noor’s return. His refusal to abide by U.S. laws during this confrontation was a clear warning sign of the tragedy that was to come.
Felah was lying in wait before the Honor Killing attack
The investigation into the incident revealed that Felah had been lying in wait in the parking lot before the attack. His phone records placed him at the scene, contradicting his initial claims that the incident was an accident. He was arrested in England a week later and extradited to the U.S.
Sadly, Noor was declared brain dead and taken off life support on November 2. The autopsy confirmed homicide due to blunt force trauma. Felah was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and other offenses. Although he was found not guilty of premeditated murder, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 34 and a half years in prison.
This case was a grim reminder of the complex and sometimes tragic interplay of cultural values, family dynamics, and the struggles of assimilation. It was the first honor killing to be tried in Arizona, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved and the community at large.
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