Viswa Vanapalli
In 2013, Charlie Weber was brutally murdered at his apartment and was left behind in what was described as an especially violent crime scene. This very case is featured on Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Wonderland Murders: Rage in Rose City.’ The 25-year-old’s young and promising life came to a sudden end after assailants forced themselves into the house in an apparent robbery. Are you wondering what happened and how the culprits were finally caught? We’ve got you covered.
How Did Charlie Weber Die?
Charlie Weber was born in June 1987 in Mount Vernon, Washington. The young man was the third child of Kathleen McCoy, and Charlie himself also had a daughter. At the time of the incident, he had been at his apartment in Southwest Portland, Oregon. Charlie’s mother described him as a kind and compassionate person who had touched many lives.
During the early hours of March 9, 2013, he had been playing video games in the house with a friend. Just after 1 AM on the same day, police responded to a call from a neighbor in the same complex who reported a disturbance and assault next door. They entered the home only to find Charlie dead on the floor. He suffered multiple injuries to his head. He was attacked with a machete and pistol-whipped with a .45-caliber handgun. The floors, walls, and doors had blood on them, and the police also found vomit. Initial investigation revealed that this gruesome scene was a result of a robbery.
Who Killed Charlie Weber?
Within days, the police arrested 4 people in relation to Charlie’s slaying. They were 20-year-old Mahmoud Moustafa, 21-year-old Hussein Ali Haidar, 18-year-old Omar Ibrahim, and 20-year-old Clifton Albert Carey. The authorities found out that both Charlie and his friend who was with him that night had known Hussein. Charlie had sold drugs to Hussein before. On the night of the incident, they had planned to rob money and drugs from Charlie, and it was planned by Hussein.
Hussein had texted Charlie and his friend that he was going to come over that night, and about 10 minutes later, Charlie heard a knock on his door. When he opened it, there were 3 masked men who entered the house. While the friend was asked to put his head down on the couch, Charlie was taken into the bedroom. The friend had heard Charlie pleading for his life, but it fell on deaf ears. When Charlie tried to escape by running into the living room, he was pistol-whipped by Clifton. Investigators believed that both Hussein and Clifton had hacked him with the machete. Hussein had also kicked Charlie in the head as they left.
Later, Hussein’s ex-girlfriend came forward with information that three of the men involved had tried to get rid of the evidence by burning the clothes they wore in Omar’s fireplace at his apartment. She also told the police that Hussein’s blood-stained work boots were in a cabinet under a fish tank. Clifton told police about hiding his blood-soaked jeans at his grandparents’ house.
The attackers had also washed the floor mats of the getaway car, but there was still blood in the car that was a match to Charlie’s. Ahmad Nofal Alkalali, a 28-year-old, was later charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. He was the one who had gotten rid of the machete and pleaded guilty in March 2014 to the charges against him.
Where Are Hussein Haidar and Clifton Carey Now?
Hussein Haidar had pleaded guilty to murder and robbery and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 27 years in February 2017. At his sentencing, Hussein said, “I acknowledge and accept that in the end, no matter what, I’m responsible for what happened. For that, I’m so terribly sorry.” As per prison records, Hussein Haidar is incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon.
Clifton Carey also pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated murder in June 2016. The aggravated murder charge was to be deferred if he met the terms of his plea deal. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Clifton Carey is serving his sentence out at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton, Umatilla County.
Earlier in November 2016, Mahmoud Moustafa had pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and pleaded no-contest to second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Lastly, Omar pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. He had stated that he had no intention of hurting Charlie, and he waited in the car outside. When he saw them return with blood on their clothes, he said that he pulled the car over and got off. He was sentenced to 7 and a half years.
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