November 30, 2022
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Philadelphia police found a 41-year-old woman who had been decapitated on the floor of her home in Lawndale on Tuesday afternoon. Ahmad Shareef, 34, has been charged with homicide and related offenses.
A 34-year-old man is charged with killing a woman whose decapitated remains were found Tuesday afternoon at a home in the Lawndale section of Northeast Philly, authorities said.
Philadelphia police were to the 300 block of Magee Avenue around 12:45 p.m. for a report of a stabbing. Inside the home, officers found the 41-year-old woman on the kitchen floor with her head severed, police said. A knife was recovered at the scene.
The woman was identified Tuesday morning as Leila Al Raheel.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office later confirmed that Ahmad Shareef had been arrested and charged with homicide, abuse of corpse and related offenses. Police took him into custody after he reportedly attempted to flee the area in a car.
Shareef is believed to have been the woman's partner, 6ABC reported.
One neighbor told FOX29 that children lived in the home, but police said none of them were there when officers arrived to investigate the scene.
UPDATE: Philadelphia Crime Scene. Magee Avenue house strangely & sadly lit with Christmas decorations on a timer,where @phillypolice found 41yr old woman decapitated in kitchen. @philadao charged Ahmad Shareef,34, with murder & abuse of corpse 1/2 @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/JOPT5CPvH1
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) November 30, 2022
2/2 LISTEN: Magee Ave neighbors say despite adult men living in home, including victim’s “domestic partner”, it was adult female victim,41, who they always saw doing all chores. Taking out trash,shoveling snow&decorating home for Christmas for her young daughters. @fox29philly pic.twitter.com/nIICOpkOwT
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) November 30, 2022
"The adults in that house are completely unhinged," one neighbor said told the station. "It's a house of horrors, I feel bad for those children, it's devastating."
Police have not revealed a possible motive in Al Raheel's death and an investigation remains ongoing.
