In the summer of 2017, a tragedy unfolded within a Nashville, Tennessee apartment complex, forever altering the lives of a family who had sought refuge in the United States. On the afternoon of Sunday, July 23rd, family members discovered the bodies of 37-year-old Isha Musa and her 20-year-old son, Osmani Munongerwa. The initial scene was grim; Musa was found deceased downstairs in their Edgehill neighborhood apartment, while her son was discovered upstairs. Both had been fatally shot. Neighbors later reported hearing gunshots between 9 and 10 a.m. that morning. The deaths were immediately deemed suspicious by the Nashville police.
The investigation into the double homicide would span nearly three years. Detectives with the Midtown Hills Precinct meticulously worked the case, eventually identifying three individuals believed to be responsible for the deaths of the mother and son. In July 2020, a grand jury returned indictments against Kendre Shields, then 23, Albert Mustapha, 22, and Chasitie Smith, 25. All three faced two counts of first-degree murder, in addition to charges of aggravated burglary and especially aggravated robbery. The investigation suggested that robbery was a motive in the violent home invasion.
Justice for Isha Musa and her son saw a significant development in February 2025. Albert Mustapha was brought to trial and a Davidson County jury found him guilty on all counts, which included two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of first-degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony. During the trial, it was revealed that Isha Musa had fled Somalia approximately two decades prior and her son Osmani was born shortly after in Kenya. In a poignant detail, practice questions for her upcoming American citizenship exam were found in her bedroom. Mustapha, who was already serving a sentence for another murder, faced the possibility of consecutive life sentences.
