Teen’s body found in fridge of man who allegedly fatally stabbed repairman with a screwdriver
07/28/2023 12:09 pm PDT
CHICAGO (TCD) -- Police reportedly discovered an 18-year-old woman’s body while searching the home of a man accused of killing a repairman with his own screwdriver last month.
According to WGN-TV, Brandon Sanders was taken into custody Thursday, June 29, on charges of first-degree murder, residential burglary, and forcible murder for the death of a 69-year-old man who was killed May 12 in the city’s Little India neighborhood.
The victim was later identified as Rasim Katanic, a Bosnian immigrant who worked as an HVAC contractor, WLS-TV reports.
Katanic was reportedly working on a job on the roof of Tahoora Sweets & Bakery when Sanders allegedly made his way up and fatally stabbed Katanic.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, police discovered Iman Al-Sarraj dead this month inside a refrigerator at Sanders’ residence in West Ridge. She reportedly appeared beaten.
Sanders was reportedly arrested in Montana in 2019 for allegedly forcing his wife into sex trafficking. His wife, who is German, reportedly returned to Germany after his arrest and a judge dropped the case because Sanders' wife did not come back to the U.S. due to COVID-19 risks. The judge also reportedly did not let her testify against Sanders virtually.
Prior to that, he pleaded guilty to choking an ex-girlfriend after hiding in her car.
On May 12, the day of Katanic’s stabbing, Sanders allegedly called the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center and claimed he wanted to "overthrow the government." Surveillance footage reportedly showed Sanders in a courtyard and then ascending a staircase to the roof, where he reportedly killed Katanic.
Then, the next day, Sanders allegedly used the same screwdriver used in the stabbing to break into a college student’s apartment, shave, and change his clothes. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Sanders allegedly put his boots in the oven and placed Katanic’s wallet on a table. He reportedly made his way to a furniture store where he worked and saw his uncle, who called police because he was worried about Sanders.
Sanders then returned to Evanston, where he asked a police officer to take him to the hospital.
At his court hearing, Sanders' attorney reportedly said Sanders had some "issues with his mental state."
Cook County Jail records show Sanders is being held without bond.
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