Case Details
- Photo URLs:
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- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 11/12/1999
- Missing From:
- Missing From Queens, New York
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Female
- Race:
- Race Asian
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 12/01/1974 (50)
- Age:
- Age 24 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 5’5 – 5’6, 128 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A white t-shirt, dark blue boot-cut jeans, chunky black platform boots, an Abercrombie and Fitch baseball cap and a gold and diamond ring on her right ring finger. Carrying a dark brown leather backpack.
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Asian female. Black hair, brown or hazel eyes. Haqiqi is a native of Afghanistan. Her nickname is Sami (sometimes spelled “Sammy”).
- Details of Disappearance:
- In November 1999, Haqiqi, a law student, disappeared. She was last seen leaving class at Quinnipiac Law School in Connecticut. She was going to visit her family in Queens, New York, but never arrived. This was unusual; she always kept in touch with her family.
Police suspected her boyfriend, Fahid “John” Popal. They believed she was going to break up with him, and he’d found out she’d reconnected with an old boyfriend. Two days later, her car was found abandoned near Fahid’s home. Her necklace, a gift from Fahid, was inside.
A witness later reported seeing a man carrying a rolled-up rug into a car repair shop where Fahid and his brother, Farhad “Frank” Popal, worked. Police found maggots (suggesting decaying matter) and a burned clump of Haqiqi’s hair there—evidence it was violently ripped from her head.
Fahid was arrested in California and convicted of Haqiqi’s murder in 2006, receiving a 26-years-to-life sentence. His brother, Farhad, was convicted of hindering the prosecution and avoided jail time by returning to Canada.
Despite the convictions, Haqiqi’s body has never been found. Police believe Fahid killed her and they burned her body using a torch.
- Agency:
- New York Police Department 646-610-6914
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 11/12/1999