Two Washington DC men have been accused of killing an unsuspecting man in his half-million-dollar condo, by brutally choking, beating and burning him after taking advantage of his generosity.
Rico Barnes, 36, and Alphonso Walker, 39, have been charged with first-degree murder over the death of 40-year-old Syed Hammad Hussain, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Thursday.
Hussain was allegedly murdered on February 11 inside his loft-style, one-bedroom condo in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW near DC’s Logan Circle, valued at more than $480,800.
He was found face-down in the living room with his arms bound by neckties, per an affidavit filed Tuesday in DC Superior Court viewed by the Daily Mail.
Two 25-pound metal dumbbells were also discovered on the floor near Hussain’s body, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Surveillance footage showed Hussain entering his building around 1.30am as two men followed closely behind him. Barnes and Walker attacked him in the lobby and continued the assault out of view of surveillance cameras, according to police.
Hussain had gone out to pick up food and was merely returning home, interim chief of police Jeffery W. Carroll said during a press conference Tuesday.
‘They knocked on the door, he let them inside,’ Carroll said. ‘I’m sure he probably thought it was somebody else from the building … in this case, they just took advantage of him.’
Rico Barnes, 36, was charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 40-year-old Syed Hammad Hussain
Alphonso Walker, 39, faces the same charge. He was already in custody on separate charges when he was arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police Department
Hussain was killed inside his loft-style, one-bedroom condo in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW near DC’s Logan Circle
There was blood around Hussain’s head, on the floor and on a nearby wall, according to the affidavit.
His ritzy apartment located in The Zenith building was ‘engulfed in smoke’ in the aftermath because of a small fire, which was promptly extinguished by law enforcement.
Hussain died from blunt force trauma and ligature strangulation, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia.
His skull was fractured in three different places and the abrasions around his neck were ‘consistent with the application of a cord or similar object.’
Hussain’s chest and upper body were also badly burnt and deeply charred, though that was determined to have occurred after his killing.
The alleged murder was described as ‘so devastating for us’ by Hussain’s uncle, who shares his name.
‘He lived his life,’ Syed K. Hussain told the Washington Post. ‘He was happy.’
He added that he would follow Barnes and Walker’s upcoming trials.
According to DC Superior Court filings, Barnes will be back in court on May 18 for a preliminary hearing
Police said that Barnes and Walker had been placed around the 700 block of Fairmont Street, near Howard University, following the alleged murder
Hussain was discovered dead in his home around 3.30am after firefighters responded to a 911 call about smoke filling his apartment building’s hallways
Hussain’s body was found around 3.30am when firefighters responded to a 911 call about smoke in the apartment building.
His condo had been been ransacked by Barnes and Walker. Laptops were missing, while a bicycle charger without an accompanying bike was also found.
Hussain’s cellphone was missing, prompting detectives to obtain his number from an acquaintance. When they called the number, the iPhone looked to be turned off.
A search warrant later revealed the phone had pinged near the 700 block of Fairmont Street, near Howard University, shortly after Barnes and Walker left Hussain’s condo.
This helped law enforcement identify the suspects and learn more about them.
Barnes worked just a half a block from where Hussain was allegedly murdered, police said.
Walker was also wearing a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor when Hussain was allegedly murdered, according to the affidavit.
Data from his ankle monitor placed him where the killing happened, the legal filing said.
Walker was wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor at the time of Hussain’s death, which law enforcement used to pin him to the scene
Metropolitan Police Department interim chief of police Jeffery W. Carroll said Hussain had gone to pick up food and was returning home when he was brutally attacked
Authorities said that video evidence had been used to track Barnes and Walker around DC following the alleged murder near Logan Circle
Walker was already in custody on separate charges at the time of his arrest, the Metropolitan Police Department said.
Authorities said that video evidence had been ‘key’ in tracking down Walker and Barnes.
‘Our homicide detectives poured countless hours into locating video that captured the suspects after they left Mr. Hussain’s apartment,’ said Kevin Kentish, the commander of the Metropolitan Police Department’s criminal investigations division.
According to the affidavit, acquaintance told investigators that Barnes and Walker came to his apartment after the alleged murder.
He said they were carrying a bag containing about $50,000 in foreign currency, along with jewelry, watches, laptops and a foreign passport believed to be from El Salvador.
Barnes and Walker allegedly told him they ‘went into someone’s house and got it.’
They also claimed they tied the victim, who was a ‘foreign person,’ up and hit him ‘every time he would wake back up.’
Barnes will return to court on May 18 for a preliminary hearing, according to DC Superior Court filings. Walker is due back on June 2.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Carrie Weletz, Barnes’ listed attorney, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, which is representing Walker, and the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for comment.
