Who was Monica Islam? 4 months after Florida mom's murder, police identify suspect
An arrest warrant has been issued by Florida authorities against a man months after Monica Islam, 44, was found dead.
An arrest warrant has been issued by Florida authorities against a man months after his sister-in-law was found dead. The Lake County Sheriff's Office has announced that they have obtained an arrest warrant against Shahidul Islam in connection to the murder of his sister-in-law, Monica Islam.
Shahidul has been in custody of immigration officials since May 6. He is now expected to be transported to Lake County.
Who was Monica Islam?
Monica, 44, went missing from Eustis, Florida, before her body was found at an intersection in nearby Mount Dora on May 2, Lake County authorities said, as reported by Click Orlando, FOX 35 and WESH. Her death was ruled a homicide. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound.
Monica was last seen leaving the Shell gas station where she worked as a cashier. At the time, her daughter Rimi Islam said Monica had no animosities with anyone.
Police have claimed that Shahidul, as well as Monica's husband Rashedul Islam, were involved in an alleged domestic violence incident with the victim back in December 2024. Shahidul was accused of hitting Monica and stealing her jewelry and paperwork for property in her native Bangladesh at the time. During the same altercation, Shahidul even pointed a gun at her.
{{/usCountry}}Police have claimed that Shahidul, as well as Monica's husband Rashedul Islam, were involved in an alleged domestic violence incident with the victim back in December 2024. Shahidul was accused of hitting Monica and stealing her jewelry and paperwork for property in her native Bangladesh at the time. During the same altercation, Shahidul even pointed a gun at her.
{{/usCountry}}Rashedul reportedly fled the US before an arrest warrant could be obtained. Shahidul had been deported in the past and had an active federal immigration warrant after illegally re-entering the United States. On May 6, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him in New York. He is awaiting extradition to Lake County once matters related to his immigration are complete.
Monica Islam’s daughter seeks justice
{{/usCountry}}Rashedul reportedly fled the US before an arrest warrant could be obtained. Shahidul had been deported in the past and had an active federal immigration warrant after illegally re-entering the United States. On May 6, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him in New York. He is awaiting extradition to Lake County once matters related to his immigration are complete.
Monica Islam’s daughter seeks justice
{{/usCountry}}Rimi, Monica’s daughter, has said she is waiting for her mother to get justice. “I want her to get the justice,” she said, as reported by Click Orlando. “I want, if my dad is involved, if my uncle is involved, I want them to get the punishment, whatever they deserve, because my mom didn’t deserve that. Me, the things I’m going through now, anxiety, panic, it’s no joke.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Captain John Herrell previously opened up about the domestic incident involving Monica, her husband, and her brother-in-law, saying, “Stolen paperwork for some property that was a subject of dispute over in Bangladesh. And in that domestic violence incident, Shahidul had actually pulled a gun on her and threatened her to not call 911. So, we knew that there’s this ongoing dispute over property in Bangladesh.”
Herrell said that on the morning Monica was found, Shahidul left his Longwood apartment at 3:30 am and came to the gas station where Monica was by 5:15 am. “Just after 5:30, he called her and then you can see her on security footage coming out of that gas station approaching his car,” Herrell said. “The car left with her and then shortly thereafter, her body was found there on Wolf Branch Road and Scenic Hill Drive. What’s interesting is just about 6:30 that morning, Shahidul had searched the internet for information concerning this very murder.”
Shahidul was allegedly connected with a home in Sanford before he fled to New York after Monica’s murder. “Apparently, he had entered the US illegally in 2020 and then again in 2023,” Herrell said. “So since May 6, he has been in federal custody on that federal warrant for illegal reentry.”
“But to be clear, we do not want him deported, we want him to be brought back here to Lake County so he can be held accountable for Monica’s homicide,” Herrell added.
