In a tragic sequence of events that unfolded across two Maryland counties, 48-year-old Zarqa Siddique was found dead in her Bel Air home, the first victim in a heartbreaking murder-suicide that also claimed the lives of her son and husband. A Pakistani American, Zarqa worked as an inclusion helper for Harford County Public Schools, supporting students with severe disabilities.
On the evening of September 28, 2016, family members grew concerned when they were unable to contact the Siddique family. This prompted deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office to perform a wellness check at their residence on Mikara Court.
Upon their arrival, deputies were unable to make contact with anyone inside the home. After forcing entry, they made a grim discovery. Zarqa Siddique was found in a bathroom, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Investigators believe she had been deceased for several hours before her body was discovered. While authorities were processing the scene in Bel Air, another tragedy was unfolding over 60 miles away in College Park.
The investigation into Zarqa's death quickly identified her 57-year-old husband, Nasir Siddique, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, as the suspect. After killing his wife, Nasir drove to College Park, near the University of Maryland campus where their 19-year-old son, Farhad, was a junior. In a parking lot near the Parkside Apartments, Nasir shot and killed Farhad inside a red Jeep before turning the gun on himself. Friends of Farhad had reported him missing earlier that evening after he failed to attend a class and was unreachable. The discovery of the father and son's bodies in the Jeep by both concerned friends and responding police officers confirmed the devastating outcome.
Investigators found a revolver in the vehicle in College Park and recovered a projectile from the Bel Air home that was believed to have been fired from the same weapon. Notes were also found at the family's residence, but authorities did not publicly release their specific contents. While a definitive motive remains unclear, family members reported that Nasir had been under significant stress from his civilian job at the Aberdeen Proving Ground and was also depressed following the recent death of his mother. There was no prior history of domestic violence calls to the Siddique's home. The case was closed as a murder-suicide, leaving a surviving daughter and a community to mourn the profound loss of an entire family.
