SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A murder charge was filed Tuesday against a man accused of killing his wife at the couple's City Heights Apartment, then fleeing the country.
Abdiaziz Kherow, 48, is accused in the death of 36-year-old Muna Kuri, whose bloodied body was discovered by her sister on the morning of March 4 in a bed at the rental residence the victim shared with her husband in the 4000 block of Van Dyke Avenue.
The criminal complaint indicates the victim died that day or the previous day.
Lt. Chris Tivanian said Kuri, whose most recent contact with her family had been on March 2, had suffered traumatic injuries to her upper body.
Kherow was arrested in Panama on March 20 and extradited to San Diego last Thursday.
A large number of Kuri's family and other members of the local Somali community attended Kherow's arraignment in downtown San Diego, with the courtroom unable to accommodate the sizable crowd.
After the hearing, the attendees demanded "justice for Muna" outside the courthouse.
Amiina Salad said her sister was "sweet, humble, she's funny. She's always there for you, no matter what happens, she's there."
When asked whether she had a message for Kherow, she said "My sister is in heaven. You're going to rot in here and you're going to rot in hellfire."
Kherow, who's being held in the San Diego Central Jail in lieu of $5 million bail, is due to return to court April 12 for a readiness conference.