HOUSTON – Bail has been denied for a suspect accused of killing a 21-year-old student from Nepal who was studying nursing in Houston.
Bobby Singh Shah is charged with capital murder. He was supposed to appear in probable cause court Thursday afternoon, but waived his appearance.
Recommended Videos
The magistrate found probable cause in his case and his bail was denied.
His next hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. next Tuesday.
What happened?
On Monday at around 5:45 p.m., the body of 21-year-old Muna Pandey was found lying in her bed with multiple gunshot wounds to her torso, according to court records. Investigators said she also had a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Authorities were first called to The Reserve at 6363 apartments because of an anonymous phone call made to the leasing office reporting a “dead body” before hanging up. The leasing manager who took the call said the caller had a “clear’ male voice and no caller ID.
Upon searching Pandey’s apartment, her cell phone was not found, according to court documents. Her number went straight to voicemail when it was called, and one of her friends told police that her phone had been placed on “Do Not Disturb.”
The same friend had planned to go out with Pandey for a birthday party on Saturday night, and he texted her when she didn’t show. Pandey’s manager at a phone store she worked at communicated with her on Saturday and found it unusual that she didn’t respond Sunday.
A neighbor of Pandey’s also reported hearing “loud thumping” between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday evening.
On Tuesday, detectives were able to obtain a password for Pandey’s security system and obtain security footage from near her apartment door Saturday night. At 8:40 p.m., they observed footage of Pandey and Shah approaching the door. Pandey was holding a shoe box, a shopping bag and a black jacket and purse. Shah held a black pistol, and repeatedly ordered her to open the door, records state.
Pandey could be heard asking, “What are you going to do?”
Shah responded by racking the slide of his pistol and telling her to open the door again, investigators said the video showed.
When Pandey opened the door, Shah pushed her inside and locked the door behind them.
An hour later, Shah is seen on camera leaving the apartment. He was believed to be carrying the black purse that Pandey originally held as the two entered.
On Wednesday, after security image of the suspect had been released, the owner of a restaurant where Pandey used to work called authorities to report that another man said that he recognized Shah as a “consistent patron” of the restaurant.
That man had been in contact with Shah about starting a business, records show, and he provided copies of Shah’s Texas driver’s license and cell phone number to investigators.
Officials received another call from a woman who recognized Shah from a post on the “Grizzy’s Hood News” Facebook page.
The woman reported that she met Shah from a “Sugar Daddy” (i.e. a man who buys things for women in exchange for companionship) website in 2012 and knew him as “Bobby Shah.” She was able to recognize him as the man in the surveillance footage “instantly.”