In the winter of 2018, the life of 18-year-old Leona Samlall was tragically cut short in Henrico, Virginia. On December 13th, she and her cousin, Vanessa Zaman, also 18, were walking near the Oakmeade Apartments in Highland Springs when they were confronted by Vanessa's father and Leona's uncle, Abdool Zaman. In what was described as a fit of rage, Zaman shot both young women, leaving them fatally wounded.
The roots of this violent act appear to be deeply embedded in a troubled family history. Samlall and her cousin had reportedly fled an abusive situation in Florida, seeking refuge in Henrico. The circumstances were further complicated by the fact that Leona had a child with her uncle, Abdool Zaman. Prior to her death, Leona had been listed as a missing child for 26 months, though she had been located in the Orlando, Florida area at one point before returning to Virginia.
Following the shooting, Abdool Zaman fled the state and a manhunt ensued. He was apprehended in Queens, New York, on December 18, 2018, with the assistance of New York City police and U.S. Marshals. Initially, he faced two warrants for second-degree murder, but these charges were expected to be upgraded. In April 2019, a grand jury indicted him on two counts of capital murder and charges related to the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The legal proceedings against Abdool Zaman, however, would never reach a conclusion. On December 13, 2019, exactly one year after the deaths of his daughter and niece, Zaman died by suicide while incarcerated at the Henrico Jail East. His death brought an end to the criminal case, leaving a void of unanswered questions for the families of the two young women.
