Majid Hemmasi, a 59-year-old businessman from Austin, Texas, was tragically murdered on July 26, 2017. Hemmasi, who was of Iranian descent, was found dead in the parking lot of AAA Fire & Safety at 6700 Guadalupe St. with multiple gunshot wounds. The incident occurred in the evening hours, and police initially believed the shooting was a targeted attack.
The investigation into Hemmasi's death revealed that it was a murder-for-hire plot.
Marquis Tyrone Collins, a 41-year-old man, was arrested in Dallas by the Lone Star Task Force after evading arrest for nearly two years. Collins was indicted in Travis County on charges of capital murder, murder, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with Hemmasi's death. According to court documents, Collins hired another suspect, 40-year-old Sidney Parker, to kill Hemmasi. Witnesses reported that Parker did not say anything but started firing at Hemmasi, ultimately killing him.
Parker was arrested shortly after the murder and initially faced a murder charge. However, the charge was later dismissed pending further investigation. Parker pled guilty to a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The investigation revealed that a few days before the shooting, Parker had caused a disturbance at AAA Fire & Safety, which led to Hemmasi noting down Parker's description, the time and date of the incident, and the license plate of Parker's vehicle. This information helped the police track down Parker and tie him to the shooting.
Collins faced multiple charges, including capital murder while remuneration, meaning he was accused of paying someone to commit murder. He was also charged with murder in connection with Hemmasi's death and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after Marites Jimenez, a female employee at AAA Fire & Safety, was shot and injured during the incident. Collins was booked into Dallas County Jail on a $1 million bond.
The case highlighted the collaborative efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, which comprises police officers from multiple cities and counties, the Texas Attorney General's Office, and the U.S. Marshal's Service. The investigation into Hemmasi's murder continues, with prosecutors intending to refile the murder charge against Parker once further investigations are complete.
