A man in North Carolina is now under arrest, facing charges of first-degree murder and concealment of an unnatural death, after his wife’s body was located in a local lake. 

Omar Matthew Ibrahim Drabick, aged 34, was taken into custody by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office after the discovery of the deceased, identified as 34-year-old Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat, on August 29.

Records from the arrest warrant point to Drabick allegedly killing Hikmat and disposing of her body by tossing it from a bridge into Jordan Lake near Raleigh. 

Although the specific details surrounding her death are not yet public, authorities have confirmed that her death was neither accidental nor self-inflicted. The method used to determine her identity was fingerprint analysis.

As investigations continue, the reasons for the murder have yet to be made public. On September 8, deputies executed search warrants at two locations: the couple’s residence in Raleigh and another spot frequently visited by Hikmat.

Originally from Iraq, Hikmat had only been in the United States for a year before her death. Her absence was noticed and subsequently reported to the authorities by her brother, Firas Hikmat, who had last spoken to her on August 28. 

For now, Drabick is in custody at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center with no bond set. He is due in court on September 29. The incident has notably caused worry among Hikmat’s family and extensive support network in Iraq.