Stolen Car Provides a Lead in Lancaster Double-Slaying

A black 1984 Chrysler LeBaron, stolen in May from the Ugly Duckling Rent-A-Car agency in Lancaster, pulled into the lot just before the agency’s owner and a co-worker were shot to death, apparently in a robbery, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported Friday.

Deputies said the sedan--license 2RGR856--was their strongest lead in the investigation into the slayings Thursday night, but as of late Friday they had not found the car or any suspects.

The county coroner’s office identified the victims as Mohammad Dahan, 36, of Quartz Hill, the owner of the rental business, and co-worker Ibrahim Alsehrewerdi, 36, of Lancaster. Dahan also ran a Jiffy Lube franchise and auto-repair business at the same site.

Sheriff’s deputies said robbery was the apparent motive for the slayings, but they released few other details. The men were shot in the closed rental-car office shortly before 7:30 p.m., when they were found by Alsehrewerdi’s wife, Yousra, according to family friends.

The business is at the southwest corner of Avenue I and Fern Avenue, a busy commercial district intersection several blocks from Lancaster City Hall. But workers at several nearby fast-food outlets and other businesses said they heard no shots and saw no suspects.

At Dahan’s house Friday, friends of both men who gathered for a three-day Muslim wake in the Iraqi tradition said Alsehrewerdi had been talking on the phone with a business associate Thursday night when he saw the stolen LeBaron drive up and cut short their conversation.

Sam Azzu of Woodland Hills, a family friend, said the business associate felt something was wrong, tried to call back but couldn’t get through, and finally called Alsehrewerdi’s wife. She also tried calling before finally going to the business to find the two men dead on the floor.

Sami Nafoosi of Azusa, another friend, said Dahan was shot once in the head and Alsehrewerdi had been shot several times in the body. Nafoosi said about $1,000 from the day’s business receipts had been taken, but Dahan still had about $500 cash in his pocket and Alsehrewerdi had about $300.

Deputies did not provide details on the shooting. “With suspects outstanding, investigators don’t want a lot of details released,” said Deputy Rich Erickson of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Friends said the two men had not had any business disputes or other problems that might have led to the shootings. And they doubted the shootings were in any way related to anti-Iraqi sentiment from the Persian Gulf War. “We have no explanation for it. It’s a puzzle,” another friend said.

Deputies said the men were co-owners of the businesses, but friends said Dahan was the owner and Alsehrewerdi was a friend and co-worker. Friends said Dahan came to the Antelope Valley about four years ago because his brother lives there, and that Alsehrewerdi had moved from San Diego earlier this year.

Dahan is survived by a wife, Nagham, and two daughters, ages 3 and 6. Alsehrewerdi is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 2 and 4, friends said. There was no immediate information about services for the men.