Police Say Killer May Have Been Hurt During Struggle

The killer of real estate investor Sultan Ahamad apparently was injured in a struggle with the young entrepreneur, authorities said Tuesday.

A trail of blood led from Ahamad’s Van Nuys apartment building, where he died last week, a police investigator said.

Six homicide investigators asked residents of the building in the 4900 block of Van Nuys Boulevard on Monday whether they had seen or heard anything unusual, Lt. Warren Knowles said. The slaying occurred between Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, police believe. No motive has been established.

Ahamad, president of Rubicon Investments, was found dead in the bedroom of his apartment Friday afternoon after friends reported that he had not returned messages. He had been shot several times in the chest.

Knowles said Tuesday that Ahamad had cuts on his body from a sharp object. Police believe that the killer was also injured. Blood samples from the building were collected for analysis.

Ahamad was born in India and came to the United States to attend college in Kansas. Friends said he had a master’s degree in business, was enrolled in law school and had hoped to practice real estate law.

Described as a devout Muslim, Ahamad sold real estate until three years ago when he and a friend established Rubicon Investments. The company owned four apartment buildings and managed six other properties in the San Fernando Valley, Vice President Al Gonzalez said.