Tyrese Haspil, a 25-year-old personal assistant to tech CEO Fahim Saleh, is currently standing trial for the horrific killing of his employer. The prosecution accuses Haspil of decapitating Saleh in his New York City apartment in July 2020. On May 24, Haspil’s defense attorney, Sam Roberts, posited that Haspil committed the act out of fear that his girlfriend, Marine Chaveuz, would abandon him if she learned of his theft of a large sum of money from his employer.
Haspil’s relationship with Saleh, who was 33 at the time, started when Saleh hired him to handle his professional and personal matters. Saleh, a venture capitalist and CEO of the Nigeria-based motorbike startup Gokada, viewed Haspil as a mentee. However, in January 2020, Saleh confronted Haspil about $90,000 missing from a company expense account. Saleh decided against pressing charges, instead allowing Haspil to repay the money in increments.
Despite being given a second chance, Haspil continued to divert funds from Saleh’s firm through a PayPal account. Upon discovering that Saleh had found out about an additional theft amounting to $400,000, Haspil grew desperate. The prosecution contends that Haspil carefully planned Saleh’s murder to evade legal repercussions and keep his girlfriend in the dark about his illegal activities.
Prosecutors say that on July 13, 2020, Haspil allegedly forced entry into Saleh’s $2.4 million apartment in the Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City. He is said to have used a Taser to incapacitate Saleh before stabbing him. Prosecutors detailed the horrifying sequence of events, noting that Haspil later dismembered Saleh’s body, severing his head and limbs.
“During this time, he not only planned the murder but also how to escape justice,” stated 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.”
Investigations showed that Haspil used Saleh’s credit cards to pay for a ride to Home Depot to purchase supplies to clean up the crime scene. However, his attempts to conceal evidence were unsuccessful. A single “anti-felon disk” identification tag, which matched the Taser purchased by Haspil a month previously, was discovered at the scene.
Haspil was seen with another woman just days after the murder. Witnesses reported that he was spotted with an unidentified woman in Noho (North of Houston St., New York City), where he purchased birthday balloons and other high-end items using Saleh’s stolen funds. It was reported that he intended to throw a birthday party for this new companion at a loft-style Airbnb on Crosby Street, where police later found luxury gifts purchased with Saleh’s money, including a leather APC tote bag and Christian Louboutin shoes.
During the trial, defense attorney Roberts described Haspil’s life as one marked by trauma, including a difficult childhood marred by years of abuse from his schizophrenic mother. According to Roberts, Haspil’s actions, while irrational, made sense to him in the moment. He argued that Haspil was under “extreme emotional disturbance” and urged the jury to find him guilty of manslaughter rather than first-degree murder. A manslaughter conviction would result in a lighter sentence of five to 25 years in prison, compared 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, depicted a different narrative, asserting that Haspil’s actions were premeditated and calculated. They presented a substantial amount of evidence, including security footage, financial documents, and forensic results that they argue prove Haspil planned the murder far in advance. They contend that Haspil’s motive was to conceal his theft and avoid facing its consequences.
The jury listened to a distressing 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. Even experienced investigators were taken aback by the gruesome scene.
Haspil has pleaded not guilty to the charges. As the trial progresses, the jury must determine whether Haspil’s actions were the result of an emotional meltdown or a carefully planned crime to evade legal repercussions and preserve his relationship with Chaveuz.
Haspil is currently in custody as the trial continues.
