Tyrese Haspil, the 25-year-old personal assistant to tech CEO Fahim Saleh, is currently on trial for the gruesome murder of his employer. Haspil is accused of beheading Saleh in his New York City apartment in July 2020. On Friday, May 24, his defense attorney, Sam Roberts, claimed that Haspil was driven to this extreme act by fear that his girlfriend, Marine Chaveuz, would leave him if she discovered he had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from his boss.

The relationship between Haspil and Saleh, 33, began when Saleh hired Haspil to manage his personal and business affairs. Saleh, a venture capitalist and the CEO of the Nigeria-based motorbike startup Gokada, considered Haspil a protégé. However, in January 2020, Saleh confronted Haspil about $90,000 that had disappeared from a corporate spending account. Instead of pressing charges, Saleh allowed Haspil to repay the money in installments.

Despite this second chance, Haspil continued to embezzle from Saleh’s company through a PayPal account. When he realized that Saleh had discovered the additional theft of $400,000, Haspil became desperate. Prosecutors allege that Haspil meticulously planned Saleh’s murder to avoid prosecution and prevent his girlfriend from discovering his criminal activities.

On July 13, 2020, Haspil allegedly forced his way into Saleh’s $2.4 million Lower East Side apartment, where he used a Taser to subdue Saleh before stabbing him to death. Prosecutors detailed the chilling sequence of events, explaining that Haspil later dismembered Saleh’s body, cutting off his head and limbs.

“During this time, he not only planned the murder but also how to escape justice,” said Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Ford in court. “He intended to cover up the crime, eliminate his debt, and prevent Fahim Saleh from testifying against him.”

The investigation revealed that Haspil had used Saleh’s credit cards to buy supplies to clean up the crime scene, including a Taser, cleaning supplies, and a saw. However, his attempts to cover his tracks were insufficient. A single “anti-felon disk” identification tag, which matched the Taser purchased by Haspil, was found at the scene.

Despite his alleged commitment to Chaveuz, Haspil was seen with another woman just days after the murder. Sources reported that he was spotted with a mystery woman in Noho (North of Houston St., New York City), where he bought birthday balloons and other luxury items using Saleh’s stolen funds. He was reportedly planning a birthday party for this new girlfriend at a loft-style Airbnb on Crosby Street, where police later recovered expensive gifts bought with Saleh’s money, including a leather APC tote bag and Christian Louboutin shoes.

During the trial, defense attorney Roberts argued that Haspil’s life had been marked by trauma, beginning with a difficult childhood in which he suffered years of abuse at the hands of his schizophrenic mother. According to Roberts, Haspil’s actions, though irrational, made sense to him at the time. He asserted that Haspil was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance” and asked the jury to convict him of manslaughter instead of first-degree murder. A conviction of manslaughter would carry a lighter sentence of five to 25 years in prison, as opposed to the mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life for first-degree murder.

“While his actions may seem irrational to us,” Roberts stated, “they made a certain sense to him at that moment, given his perspective and circumstances.”

The prosecution, however, painted a different picture, arguing that Haspil’s actions were premeditated and calculated. They presented a wealth of evidence, including security footage, financial records, and forensic findings that they say prove Haspil planned the murder well in advance. They claimed Haspil’s motive was to cover up his theft and avoid the consequences of his actions.

Jurors heard a harrowing 911 call from Saleh’s cousin, who discovered his dismembered body in his apartment. She found his torso in the living room, surrounded by construction bags. The distressing scene shocked even seasoned investigators.

Haspil has pleaded not guilty to the charges. As the trial continues, the jury will have to decide whether Haspil’s actions were the result of an emotional breakdown or a meticulously planned crime to avoid prosecution and maintain his relationship with Chaveuz.

Haspil remains in custody during the trial. His defense team continues to argue for a reduced charge of manslaughter while prosecutors are pushing for a conviction on first-degree murder charges, which would ensure Haspil spends the rest of his life behind bars if convicted.