Ossama Haj-Hussein, a 43-year-old male, tragically lost his life on May 12, 2006, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was fatally shot inside the In & Out Food Mart, a store he owned and operated. On the morning of his death, Haj-Hussein was reportedly eating breakfast and drinking coffee when he was approached by Samuel James Cooper, who robbed the store and shot him twice—once in the head and once in the face, with at least one shot fired at close range.
His body was later discovered by a customer who entered the store and noticed something amiss.
The investigation into Haj-Hussein's murder revealed that Samuel James Cooper, a 33-year-old male, was responsible for this and four other homicides committed between 2006 and 2007. Cooper's crimes were linked through ballistics evidence, which connected the bullets used in the murders to a 9mm Ruger handgun that Cooper had dropped while fleeing a bank robbery in November 2007. Cooper eventually confessed to all five murders, including that of Haj-Hussein, during police interrogations.
Cooper was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, including the killing of Haj-Hussein. During his trial, the defense argued that Cooper's history of severe childhood abuse had left him with diminished mental capacity, which they claimed affected his ability to think clearly and act rationally. Despite this argument, the jury found Cooper guilty of all charges. However, instead of sentencing him to death, the jury recommended life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Cooper is currently serving his sentence at Warren Correctional Institution.
The murder of Ossama Haj-Hussein was part of a series of violent crimes that shook the community. His death, along with the other victims, highlighted the devastating impact of violence and the importance of justice for the victims and their families.
