Sophia Zaman Tareq, a 26-year-old woman originally from Bangladesh, went missing from Rochester, Minnesota, on September 17, 1999. Sophia had moved to the United States in the mid-1990s with her husband, Mohammed Tareq, and their young son, Mohammed Tahseen Taef. By 1999, her husband had returned to Bangladesh, leaving Sophia and her son to live with her sister, Mary Zaman, and brother-in-law, Iqbal Ahmed.
On September 17, 1999, Sophia, along with her sister Mary and her son, disappeared. Two months later, in November, the decapitated bodies of Mary and Taef were found in a ditch near Rochester, placed in garbage bags. Sophia's body was never found, but authorities believe she was likely also murdered. Iqbal Ahmed became the prime suspect in the murders. Before the bodies were discovered, Ahmed fled to Bangladesh with his son Asif. In 2000, he was charged with the murders of his wife and nephew, but since Bangladesh and the United States do not have an extradition treaty, Ahmed was never returned to the U.S. for trial. In 2005, Ahmed was sentenced to life in prison in Bangladesh for unrelated murders, and he later died in 2010 while still incarcerated.
Sophia's case remains unsolved, though authorities strongly suspect foul play.Last Seen: Sep 17, 1999
