Suspect in Kitchener woman’s death arrested in Texas
Ager Mohsin Hasan in custody after traffic stop involving U.S. Secret Service
WATERLOO REGION — Murder suspect Ager Mohsin Hasan was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon by the United States Secret Service during a traffic stop.
“This traffic stop was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service in relation to an ongoing counterfeit currency investigation,” Insp. Mike Haffner of Waterloo Regional Police said at a media conference Wednesday at police headquarters.
Haffner said Hasan was to appear in a Texas courtroom Wednesday to begin proceedings related to an extradition hearing so he can face a charge of second-degree murder in Canada.
To date, Hasan does not face any additional charges related to the counterfeit currency investigation, Haffner said.
Hasan, a 24-year-old Hamilton resident, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Melinda Vasilije.
Vasilije, 23, of Kitchener was found dead of multiple stab wounds in her Country Hills apartment on April 28.
“Our major crime unit has been dedicated to this investigation since the tragic death of Melinda Vasilije,” Haffner said.
Haffner said the police investigation “immediately” focused on Hasan, who fled to the U.S. after Vasilije’s death.
When police stopped Hasan in San Antonio, he was still driving the black 2016 Honda HR-V he used to cross the U.S. border more than two months ago.
The vehicle had stolen plates from Arkansas, Haffner said.
Hasan has been previously spotted at least twice — once in Pennsylvania in the parking lot of a Walmart where a man was seen stealing licence plates from another vehicle, and then in Tennessee on May 20.
Haffner said police believed Hasan was on his way to the Mexican border.
“Throughout the investigation, our officers have been in contact with Mr. Hasan, encouraging him to turn himself in,” Haffner said.
Police have been in contact with Hasan via email, he said.
Haffner said local police worked closely with the U.S. Marshal’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, border security officials and the Secret Service since Hasan reportedly entered the U.S. He thanked the U.S. authorities for their “constant and continued collaboration and exchange of information during our search of Ager Hasan.”
“The arrest of Mr. Hasan provides significant closure to our community and to our investigators as they now can prepare for the judicial proceedings,” Haffner said.
“We hope this arrest provides some closure and comfort to the family of Melinda as they continue to deal with the grief of their loss,” he said.
Police have been in contact with both families. Haffner said the Vasilije family has asked for privacy.
Haffner said police continue to investigate the social media posts by a person believed to be Hasan.
On Monday, a posting on Instagram from a person claiming to be Hasan said he would turn himself in.
The post, accompanied by a photo, said: “I’m coming home. It’s time to end the dark path I’ve been travelling and give people the closure they deserve.”
In another Instagram post, a message read: “I regret everything negative I ever did to you.”
A post on Reddit in May written by someone claiming to be Hasan alleged that Hasan stabbed Vasilije in self-defence. It went into details about what allegedly happened the night Vasilije died. That message was removed shortly after it was posted.
Police would not say if Hasan received any help from family or friends while he was on the run.
“We anticipate speaking to Mr. Hasan to find out the motives and the rationales for his posts and if they are his posts,” Haffner said.
Police have no indication that Hasan will fight the extradition process.
Although there have been various photographs circulating of Hasan with different hairstyles, police said that upon his arrest, he appeared similar to the way he looked before he left for the U.S.
“He looks very similar to what he looked like on April 28, 2017,” he said.
Haffner said the investigation into Hasan has been a complicated one with him taking off to the U.S. and posting social media messages.
“One of the difficulties we have had as a law enforcement agency is dealing with legislation in relation to privacy and IP addresses, and ultimately it causes significant delays in trying to locate individuals, gain information and, more importantly, locate where Mr. Hasan was,” he said.
Haffner said local investigators will go to San Antonio to bring Hasan to Waterloo Region once the extradition process is complete.
During the investigation, local police worked with U.S. law enforcement agencies to get Hasan’s image and description out on social media platforms.
Hasan also faces three counts of breach of recognizance for an alleged break-and-enter and alleged assaults at Vasilije’s Kitchener apartment on April 3.
Police have said Vasilije was not a victim of the assaults.
Hasan was under a court order to stay out of Waterloo Region and to not contact Vasilije. Vasilije and Hasan had been in a relationship for about a year.
A Facebook page called Justice for Melinda frequently shared pleas to the public to share information about Hasan.