A woman convicted of fatally stabbing her mother has been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison. This comes after she made a rather peculiar statement to officers during an unrelated incident, claiming that her good looks should exempt her from being arrested.
In a tragic incident that occurred earlier this year, Hend Karim Bustami, 29, admitted to the regrettable act of taking the life of Afaf Hussanen, 61, in October 2022. Bustami admitted to being “guilty but mentally ill” for second-degree murder involving a deadly weapon.
Bustami faced initial charges of murder. A tragic incident occurred in the south Las Vegas valley near Jones Boulevard and Cactus Avenue, where a mother lost her life in the home she shared with her daughter.
Bustami was indicted on the murder charge by a grand jury in March 2023. Prosecutors presented the grand jury with a 911 call that police claimed Bustami made on October 26, 2022, during the hearing.
Bustami informed the dispatcher that they believe they may have caused harm to their mother. According to documents, Bustami allegedly engaged in a violent altercation with her mother, involving the breaking of a glass table and the use of glass shards as a weapon.
Police reported that Bustami was later found driving near Barstow by California Highway Patrol troopers. During the conversation with officers, Bustami, who police reported was covered in blood, admitted to the murder of her mother.
During the interview with investigators, Bustami mentioned that she had engaged in a heated argument with her mother prior to the incident of stabbing. According to the grand jury transcripts, Bustami reportedly informed a detective that the altercation stemmed from a disagreement about cigarettes.
At first, Bustami maintained his innocence when faced with the murder charge.
In August 2022, Bustami was arrested by the police for allegedly leaving a restaurant without paying and violating regulations at Harry Reid International Airport, as initially reported by 8 News Now. According to an arrest report, Bustami claimed that she was taken into custody due to her striking appearance.
During the arrest, Bustami made derogatory remarks towards the officers, claiming that they were perverts and accusing them of attempting to assault her. She also expressed her belief that their actions were motivated by jealousy due to her good looks, according to the report.
Additionally, she admitted to being guilty of burglary, invasion of a home, possession of a controlled substance with the intention to sell, selling a controlled substance, and engaging in gaming crimes, all of which she had previous felony convictions for.
On Tuesday, Judge Jacqueline Bluth handed down a 15-year-to-life sentence to Bustami, as confirmed by a court spokesperson. Bustami is eligible for parole in 2037, taking into account the time already served.
Despite being deemed fit for trial, Bustami’s public defender revealed that a psychologist had diagnosed her with intermittent exacerbations of psychosis and a need for ongoing psychiatric treatment, according to the documents.
Bustami will be obligated to undergo medical treatment for her mental illness as part of her sentence.
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