Man Held in Slayings at Car Rental Agency in Lancaster

An Antelope Valley man was arrested Thursday in connection with the Aug. 22 slayings of the owner of a Lancaster car rental agency and an employee, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Michael Joseph Williams, 21, was arrested at 4 p.m. at an undisclosed location in the Antelope Valley and was being held without bail at the sheriff’s station in Lancaster, Sgt. Larry Lincoln said.

Mohammad Dahan, 36, of Quartz Hill, the owner of the Ugly Duckling Rent-A-Car agency and employee Ibrahim Alsehrewerdi, 36, of Lancaster were found shot to death in the company’s office.

Dahan and Alsehrewerdi, both Iraqi immigrants, were politically active in the Arab-American community, but Lincoln said “there is no political motive that I’ve heard of” for the killings. Authorities declined to give further details on the arrest.

The motive for the crime appeared to be robbery, although not all of the money in the building was taken, deputies said shortly after the slayings. About $1,000 had been stolen, but Dahan still carried about $500 cash in his pocket and Alsehrewerdi had about $300.

A black 1984 Chrysler LeBaron, license 2RGR856, stolen from the agency three months before was apparently used in the killings, deputies said. On the night of the slayings, Alsehrewerdi was speaking with a business associate by phone when he saw the stolen LeBaron drive up, family friends said. Alsehrewerdi hurriedly cut short the conversation. Two hours later, he and Dahan were found dead on the office floor.