Missing Man’s Brother Arrested for His Murder – NR09217ks

Los Angeles:  Detectives are investigating the murder of a man who has been missing for more than a year; the man’s brother has been arrested in connection with the disappearance and murder.

On May 16, 2008, 48-year-old Mohammad Reza Shirazi was reported missing by his family members.  He was last seen on or about April 24, 2008, at his home in West Hills.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit (MPU) has been investigating Shirazi’s disappearance.  All efforts to locate Shirazi have failed, and Shirazi has made no attempts to contact his family, causing increasing concern that he has met with foul play.  In February 2009, family members contacted a private investigator to help search for Shirazi.

Over the course of interviewing Shirazi’s family members, the private investigator uncovered information that led him to believe that Shirazi had indeed become the victim of a violent crime.  That information was relayed to the MPU who passed it on to West Valley homicide detectives in March 2009.

After all of the information and evidence was gathered, detectives determined that Shirazi had been murdered on or near the date that he was last seen alive, April 24, 2008.  Though his body has yet to be found, efforts to locate Shirazi’s remains are ongoing.

On April 30, 2009, Detectives arrested Shirazi’s 34-year-old brother, Hossein Shirazi of Canoga Park for murder.  He is being held on $1 million bail.

Anyone with information is asked to contact West Valley Homicide Detectives John Doerbecker or Gregory Crowe at 818-374-7725.  During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247).  Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.”  Tipsters may remain anonymous.