Sarah Yaser Said, a 17-year-old girl of Egyptian-American ethnicity, tragically lost her life on January 1, 2008, in Irving, Texas. She and her 18-year-old sister, Amina Said, were fatally shot by their father, Yaser Abdel Said, in what was described as an "honor killing." The motive behind the killings was Yaser Said's belief that his daughters had dishonored the family by dating non-Muslim boys and refusing arranged marriages.
On the day of their deaths, Yaser Said lured Sarah and
Amina into his taxi under the pretense of taking them out to eat. Once inside the cab, he shot Sarah nine times and Amina twice. Sarah managed to make a final 911 call, identifying her father as the shooter before succumbing to her injuries.
Yaser Said went into hiding after the murders and remained a fugitive for over 12 years. During this time, he was placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List. His son, Islam Said, and his brother, Yassein Said, were arrested for aiding a fugitive. Yaser Said was eventually captured on August 26, 2020, in Justin, Texas.
In August 2022, Yaser Said was convicted of capital murder in the deaths of his daughters and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case drew significant media attention and highlighted issues of honor-based violence and the challenges faced by victims of domestic abuse.
Sarah Yaser Said's tragic death and the subsequent investigation and trial of her father brought to light the severe consequences of cultural and familial pressures, as well as the importance of addressing and preventing such acts of violence.
