In the early morning hours of a Sunday in Arizona City, a community lost a beloved figure in a senseless act of violence. Mohammad Abdul Dream Hasim, a 41-year-old male, was working as a clerk at the Sunlight Market, a store he co-owned with his brother. Known affectionately as 'Dream' by those who frequented the store, he was a man celebrated for his kindness, his ever-present smile, and his generous spirit.
If a customer was short a dollar or two, he was known to let it slide, telling them to pay him back later. He was a familiar and welcome presence in the tight-knit community, a family man with a wife and two young children.
On July 23, 2023, the familiar rhythm of the morning was shattered. A customer arriving at the Sunlight Market around 7:15 a.m. made a grim discovery. Inside the store, they found Hasim unresponsive and not breathing, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound. A call to 911 brought the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and emergency services to the scene, where Hasim was pronounced dead. The initial investigation quickly pointed to an armed robbery that had taken a violent turn.
The Pinal County Sheriff's Office launched an intensive investigation, and it wasn't long before they identified a suspect. Within 24 hours of the discovery of Hasim's body, authorities arrested 31-year-old Billy Johnson of Casa Grande. He was taken into custody and subsequently booked into jail on charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery. According to court documents, surveillance footage from the market captured the robbery, showing Johnson threatening Hasim with a gun. The documents also revealed that during an interview with deputies, Johnson admitted to the homicide, stating that he had consumed a combination of drugs and alcohol the night before the incident.
The news of Dream's violent death sent shockwaves through the Arizona City community. In the days that followed, a makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, and heartfelt messages grew outside the closed Sunlight Market. Community members, struggling to comprehend the loss of such a kind-hearted man, organized a vigil to honor his memory and to offer support to his grieving family. Friends and customers remembered a man with a big heart and an infectious laugh, a pillar of the community whose absence would be deeply felt. The swift arrest of a suspect brought a small measure of relief, but for the people of Arizona City, the loss of 'Dream' left a void that would not be easily filled.
