The couple found deceased within their Holmdel home Thursday appear to have died as a result of a murder-suicide, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Holmdel Township Police Department received a 911 call from a teenage male, at about 1:20 p.m., on August 10, 2017. The caller reported finding the couple unresponsive in the master bedroom of their home at 4 Paddington Court in the township, located within the neighborhood known as “The Reserve at Holmdel.”
Holmdel Police immediately responded to the residence and located an obviously deceased male lying in his bed and an obviously deceased female lying on the floor. The male is identified as 52-year-old Arshad Zarak and the female is identified as 42-year-old Asma Hussain, both of that address.
Holmdel Police immediately contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and a joint investigation was launched into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the couple.
During the course of the investigation, police discovered a single firearm in the hand of Mrs. Hussain, who had been lying face down on the floor of the master bedroom. No other weapons were discovered within close proximity of either of the deceased.
Post-mortem examinations were conducted upon both deceased at the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office on August 11, 2017. The autopsies revealed Mr. Zarak died as a result of two gunshot wounds to the head and Mrs. Hussain died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head.
As a result of the investigation and in conjunction with the autopsy findings, it appears, at this time, Mrs. Hussain shot her husband two times, causing his death and then killed herself with a single gunshot.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the married couple. Residents in the area have no reason for concern.
If anyone has any information to share regarding the investigation, they can contact Detective Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Andrew Kret of the Holmdel Police Department at 732-946-4400.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Red Bank Field Office, assisted the investigative team by providing crucial translation.