HOLMDEL – An apparent murder-suicide claimed the lives of a married Holmdel couple found dead in their home, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Gramiccioni announced the alleged circumstances that led to the deaths of Arshad Zarak, 52, and Asma Hussain, 42, on Aug. 11, a day after the married couple’s bodies were discovered in their Reserve at Holmdel home on Aug. 10.
Holmdel Township Police Department officers arrived at the residence around 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 10 after receiving a call from an unidentified teenaged male, according to Charles Webster, public information officer for the prosecutor’s office. The teenager told the police he found the couple unresponsive in the bedroom of their home.
According to Webster, Holmdel police officers found Zarak lying on a bed and Hussain lying on the floor, both deceased. A joint investigation between the Holmdel Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office ensued and police discovered a single firearm in Hussain’s hand, whose body was lying face down. No other weapons were discovered within close proximity of either Zarak or Hussain.
Autopsies were conducted on Zarak and Hussain at the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, North Brunswick, on Aug. 11, which revealed that Zarak died from two gunshot wounds to the head and Hussain died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
“As a result of the investigation and in conjunction with the autopsy findings, it appears, at this time, Mrs. Hussain shot her husband two times, causing his death, and then killed herself with a single gunshot,” Webster said.
The circumstances of the couple’s death are still under police investigation and residents in the area have no reason for concern, according to Webster. Any individuals with information concerning the investigation may contact Detective Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Andrew Kret of the Holmdel Township Police Department at 732-946-4400.
