HOUSTON, TX (TIP): A 21-year-old Nepali student was fatally shot in her Houston apartment during an alleged robbery. The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Indian American Bobby Sinh Shah, has been arrested and charged with murder, according to the Houston Police Department.
The victim, Muna Pandey, a student at Houston Community College, was found dead in her apartment on Monday evening with multiple gunshot wounds. Staff at her apartment complex contacted authorities after receiving an anonymous call about a body inside. Emergency responders declared her dead at the scene.
Further details have emerged as part of the investigation. According to court documents, Pandey’s cell phone was missing from her apartment, and calls to her number went straight to voicemail. One of her friends told police that Pandey’s phone had been set to “Do Not Disturb.” This friend had planned to meet her for a birthday party on Saturday night and texted her when she didn’t show up. Pandey’s manager at a phone store, where she worked, also noted it was unusual for her not to respond on Sunday.
A neighbor reported hearing “loud thumping” sounds between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday night. On Tuesday, investigators accessed Pandey’s home security system and obtained footage from outside her apartment door on Saturday night. The video captured Pandey and Shah approaching her door around 8:40 p.m. Pandey was carrying a shoe box, shopping bag, black jacket, and purse, while Shah was holding a black pistol. Shah can be heard repeatedly ordering Pandey to open the door, and at one point, he racked the slide of his pistol, according to police reports.
Once Pandey opened the door, Shah allegedly forced her inside and locked the door behind them. About an hour later, security footage showed Shah leaving the apartment, believed to be carrying the black purse Pandey was holding earlier.
On Wednesday, police released a security image of the suspect. A former employer of Pandey, who owns a local restaurant, reported that another individual recognized Shah as a frequent patron of the establishment. This individual had been in discussions with Shah about starting a business and provided police with Shah’s Texas driver’s license and phone number.
Another tip came from a woman who recognized Shah after seeing his image on the “Grizzy’s Hood News” Facebook page, leading to further confirmation of his identity.
Shah was arrested later that same day during a traffic stop and remains in custody. Investigators are continuing their inquiries. Community members are organizing a fundraiser to help Pandey’s mother, who remains in Nepal, travel to the U.S. to attend her daughter’s funeral and perform the final rites.
Shah has been charged with murder, and further court proceedings are pending.