NICOLE ABUSHARIF FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER

  WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that a jury has found twenty eight year-old Nicole M. Abusharif (d.o.b. 9/14/80) formerly of Villa Park, guilty of First Degree Murder in connection with the March 2007 death of her former roommate Rebecca L. Klein (d.o.b. 4/4/74).  The jury found Abusharif guilty after approximately thirteen hours of deliberations. 

On March 16, 2007 Villa Park Police officers arrived at the home the women shared in response to a missing person’s report made by Nicole Abusharif.  Abusharif filed the missing persons report after Rebecca’s employer phoned the house concerned that Rebecca has not shown up for work that morning.  The following afternoon, Villa Park police discovered Rebecca’s body inside the trunk of the couple’s 1966 Mustang which was parked inside the detached garage at the residence.  Rebecca had been gagged, blindfolded and suffocated using a plastic garbage bag.  On March 21, Abusharif was charged with the murder of Rebecca Klein.

“Today, justice was done in the memory of Rebecca Klein,” commented Birkett.  “This was a senseless murder of a wonderful person.  I would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Joe Ruggiero and Tim Diamond for their excellent efforts in ensuring that Nicole Abusharif is held accountable for her actions.  I would also like to thank the men and women of the Villa Park Police Department, the Major Crimes Task Force, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshall’s Office and the DuPage County Coroner’s Office for their tireless efforts in seeking justice for Rebecca.  I would also like to thank the jury for recognizing that the evidence in this case proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Nicole Abusharif murdered Rebecca Klein.

            Abusharif’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 1 in front of Judge John Kinsella, who presided over the case.  She faces a sentence of between twenty and sixty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. 

            “Given her complete absence of remorse, deceit and flagrant perjury, we will be seeking a lengthy prison sentence,” concluded Birkett.

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