San Jose

Police Arrest 2 Brothers After Parents Found Shot to Death in San Jose With Chilling Message: ‘Sorry, My First Killing Was Clumsy'

Golam and Shamima Rabbi were found shot to death in their home Sunday afternoon

Two brothers have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of their parents, whose bodies were found in their San Jose home over the weekend near what sources said was a scrawled message apologizing for a "clumsy" killing.

Police on Thursday announced the arrests of Hasib Bin Golamrabbi, 22, and his 17-year-old brother, who attends Evergreen High School.

"Needless to say," Evergreen Islamic Center spokesman Faisal Yazadi said,"this is one of those tragedies nobody ever wants to be in. All we can do is pray."

Golamrabbi had been missing until he was taken into custody Wednesday night. NBC Bay Area was the first to report, through sources, that Golamrabbi had been found near Tracy in the Central Valley. Jail records show Golamrabbi was booked Thursday morning and held without bail.

The younger son — who was in school Monday and whom police initially said was not a suspect — was booked into juvenile hall. NBC Bay Area is not naming him because he is a minor.

They have not yet been charged by the district attorney.

The brothers' parents, 59-year-old Golam and 57-year-old Shamima Rabbi, both natives of Bangladesh, were found shot to death Sunday afternoon inside their Lucas Court home. 

Board members at the mosque where the couple attends said the Rabbi's bodies were released Wednesday afternoon to relatives and the funeral is being planned for Friday at the Five Pillars Farm Cemetery in Livermore.

Police did not provide evidence or a motive in announcing the arrests but said "there are no outstanding suspects." Sources told NBC Bay Area the parents did not approve of the older son's sexual orientation. Cousin Nafees Hasan said his family had never discussed that matter, but if it were true, the "family wouldn't have accepted that." He added the parents were very strict about gender orientation.

Sources who witnessed the crime scene before police arrived told NBC Bay Area chilling messages were written on the floor and wall near the bodies, including one that read: "Sorry my first killing was clumsy."

Another, longer message, allegedly ended, "I can’t be like you, telling a lie. I can’t love someone without telling them."

San Jose police have not confirmed the validity of the messages, and it is unclear who wrote them.

Efforts to reach the brothers or find out if they had attorneys were unsuccessful. A cousin thought they might be looking into public defenders. When reached Thursday morning, several neighbors and mosque members said they knew nothing of the arrests until notified by NBC Bay Area.

"I can’t believe it," said mosque board member and family friend Hasan Rahim, who described both sons as "taciturn." While the father was very friendly, Rahim said, the boys were "not very communicative," Rahim said.

As for the older son's sexual orientation, Rahim had never heard the father, with whom he was friends, talk about it. And even if it were true, Rahim is of the belief that the Silicon Valley Bangladeshi community is more tolerant of homosexuality, which is forbidden in Bangladesh.

"Live and let live,” Hasan said. “The Pope said it most famously,’ Who am I to judge.’ "

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