Eight family members killed in gruesome crime in Baghdad

BAGHDAD — Eight members of a single family, including children, have been brutally killed in Baghdad’s Sadr City, in a crime reportedly driven by financial motives.

The suspects have been arrested.

“In a swift operation, Rusafa Police apprehended suspects involved in the brutal killing of an eight-member family within just 45 minutes of receiving the initial report,” Baghdad-Rusafa Police Command said in a statement on Tuesday.

Units responded immediately to reports of a murder in Sadr City. Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered the bodies of three victims, a woman and two children.

A specialized investigative team was then assembled, conducting an extensive search, gathering intelligence, and reviewing surveillance camera footage. The investigation led authorities to a suspect residing in the Al-Hamidiyah area.

Following legal procedures, police raided the suspect’s home, arresting him and his wife, who was also implicated in the crime, according to the statement.

During a search of the house, officers made a grim discovery, five additional bodies belonging to members of the same family. The suspects, along with others found in the house, were detained for questioning.

“During the interrogation, they confessed to luring the victim and killing her along with four of her children inside their home. They then proceeded to the victim’s residence, where they killed the remaining family members, consisting of two young girls and their aunt. The motive was a financial debt owed by the perpetrators, as well as the intent to steal money from the victim’s house,” the statement concluded.

The suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue to complete legal procedures.