LOS ANGELES, CA – The arraignment of three individuals charged in connection with the murder-for-hire slaying of Woodland Hills physician Dr. Hamid Mirshojae was postponed Monday. The case, which has drawn significant attention, involves allegations of financial motives and elaborate planning.
Dr. Mirshojae, 61, was shot and killed on August 23 outside his medical clinic in the 5900 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Authorities describe the incident as an ambush as he approached his parked SUV.
Charged in the case are his ex-wife, Ahang Mirshojae, 53, of Calabasas; Evan Hardman, 41, of Tomball, Texas; and Sarallah Jawed, 26, of Canoga Park. All three are accused of orchestrating and executing the murder. The arraignment was rescheduled for Wednesday after Hardman and Jawed were not brought into the courtroom. Superior Court Judge Susan De Witt ordered all three to remain in custody without bail.
Ahang Mirshojae is accused of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband for undisclosed financial reasons. Prosecutors have charged her with murder, including special circumstances of lying in wait and financial gain. She also faces a separate charge of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly attacking her ex-husband with a baseball bat on May 3.
Hardman, identified as the alleged gunman, is charged with murder under the same special circumstances. Prosecutors claim he personally discharged the firearm and have linked him to prior robbery convictions dating back to 2002. Jawed, accused of assisting in the murder plot and driving Hardman out of state after the killing, is charged with murder under special circumstances of financial gain. Both Hardman and Jawed are also charged in connection with the May 3 baseball bat attack.
A fourth defendant, Ashley Rose Sweeting, 40, of Reseda, is charged with being an accessory after the fact. Authorities allege she drove Hardman to and from the scene of the shooting. Sweeting, who pleaded not guilty on December 12, remains jailed on $1 million bail. She is due back in court on February 5.
Authorities apprehended Ahang Mirshojae during a police raid at a mansion she is believed to own in Calabasas. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek the death penalty for any of the three defendants charged with murder.
The case has spurred widespread discussion about the motive and complexity of the alleged plot, while investigators continue to piece together the events leading to Dr. Mirshojae’s tragic death.
