In the quiet community of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a tragic event unfolded that cut short the life of Urooj Aftab, a 32-year-old woman of Pakistani descent. On the night of October 29, 2017, she was fatally shot, a violent end to a life that had brought her from her native Pakistan to the United States. Having resided in Perth Amboy for about a year and a half, her time in the community was brought to a sudden and heartbreaking close.
The circumstances of her death began to come to light when a concerned family friend requested a welfare check at her residence shortly after midnight on October 30th. Responding officers made a grim discovery, finding Urooj deceased inside her home. The official time of death was recorded at 12:49 a.m. The investigation quickly turned towards her brother, Arun Aftab, who was 34 at the time.
Following the discovery of his sister's body, Arun Aftab became the primary suspect.
He attempted to flee the country, but his escape was thwarted by Canadian authorities at the US-Canada border. At the time of his apprehension, he was found in possession of a handgun. This was not Arun's first encounter with law enforcement; he had a prior conviction for making false statements to federal authorities regarding a firearm purchase. After his capture, he was charged with murder and weapons offenses in connection with his sister's death.
The legal proceedings that followed took a complex turn. After his extradition back to New Jersey, Arun Aftab's mental state became a central issue. Following a psychological evaluation, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a non-jury trial on October 4, 2019. This verdict meant that while he was acquitted of the criminal charges, he would be subject to further psychiatric evaluation and treatment. The case underscored the tragic intersection of domestic violence and mental health issues.
