Parvaiz faces life in prison.
AB Wire
WASHINGTON, DC: Kashif Parvaiz, a Pakistani American man from New York, was convicted of setting up the fatal shooting of his wife Nazish Noorani, in cahoots with his girlfriend, while the couple was on a walk with one of their young sons in New Jersey.
A jury deliberated for less than four hours on Thursday before convicting Parvaiz of scheming with his girlfriend Antoinette Stephen to kill his wife and make it look like a random attack more than three years ago, reported the Associated Press.
“Nothing will ever restore Nazish to her family. As her two young children grow up, they will never have their mother by their side. Her family, and most especially her siblings, will never see her again,” Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said in a statement. “This verdict, however, demonstrates to all of her loved ones that justice has been served.”
Antoinette Stephen pleaded guilty to murder and other offenses and testified against Parvaiz. The Billerica, Massachusetts, resident was having an affair with Parvaiz and admitted firing the fatal shots. Stephen faces a minimum of 30 years in prison, but has yet to be sentenced.
Prosecutors said during the three-week trial that Parvaiz emailed two black magic companies asking if they could come up with a way to make his wife leave him, kill herself or disappear. They said he paid at least $4,500 for spells and prayers from the company, reported the Associated Press.
The shocking murder case which made headlines around the world was committed on August 16, 2011. Noorani, 27, and Parvaiz were with a toddler son, one of the two children the couple had. Parvaiz also got shot, and sustained minor injuries. The toddler escaped unhurt.
Noorani, who was originally from Pakistan, and settled with Parvaiz and her sons in Brooklyn, New York, had gone to visit her family living in Boonton, home to a large population of Pakistanis and Pakistani Americans, reported The Star-Ledger.
Parvaiz told authorities that his wife was shot dead by three men who shouted racial slurs against him and his family, before opening fire.
The lie was exposed soon after when Stephen pleaded guilty to the murder of Noorani.
Parvaiz was convicted of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, endangering the welfare of a child, child abuse, hindering apprehension by lying to police and weapons charges. He faces life in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled for April 24.