By Tom Schuba and Rosemary Sobol
As they probe one of the crimes, detectives have been looking at Brandon Sanders’ past, including an arrest made in Montana where he was accused of forcing his wife to perform sex acts.
Rasim Katanic, in a futile attempt to find his brother during the Bosnian War, visited gyms full of bodies.
Iman Al Sarraj (18 years old) also has immigrant roots. Her father kept in contact with her to keep him informed of the situation.
Their lives are now intertwined with murder.
Chicago Police is investigating whether Brandon Sanders who had been arrested previously in Montana on charges of forcing his wife to prostitution is responsible for the deaths.
Sanders was charged in May with killing Katanic by stabbing him to death after a chance meeting on the roof a West Ridge Restaurant. Al-Sarraj’s beaten corpse was found in Sanders West Ridge apartment early this month. He hasn’t been charged.
Police say that based on Sanders’ past in Montana, they will investigate cases of missing persons similar to Sanders.
Aida Sutardio said that the loss was devastating and they were still grieving as a whole family.
He said that he never gave up on the hope to see her again. Khalil Sarraj said, “They never gave her a shot.” Nobody has the right.
The violence is increasing
On August 14, 2019, detectives found Sanders arrested at the Motel 6 located in Great Falls Montana. A Motel 6 employee saw him sitting in the parking area while his wife was “entertaining multiple male guests in a bedroom.”
Sanders’s wife who moved to the U.S. to study at college from Germany told investigators that she had been “very naive”, when she first met Sanders. Sanders encouraged her to be a sexworker and used “extreme” violence against her.
Sanders, according to court records was accused of human trafficking as well as aggravated promotion of prostitution. He and those close to him were accused of witness tampering after he and his friends allegedly harassed and intimidated his wife who was under protective custody. He and others were charged with witness tampering after he, his friends, and people close to him allegedly intimidated and harassed his wife who was in protective custody.
Court records show that she started dating Sanders while in college in Chicago in 2018. “He persuaded [her] to do prostitution to earn easy money.”
Sanders choking her in front a mirror in a hotel to make her stay in prostitution is documented. She said Sanders hooked her on cocaine which she “used to get through client meeting.”
Sanders’ case was delayed, according to records of the court. This is because Sanders wife would not travel to America due to COVID-19. The judge dismissed the case when he released him on his own recognizance. He refused to let her testify via video.
In an email she sent to a prosecutor, she said: “I’m not prepared to deal with all these issues in court.” “I also do not want to see Brandon.”
Sanders was facing a sentence of 25 years, but the prosecutor Joshua Racki said that he would have likely received a lesser penalty of 10 years had he been convicted.
Racki stated, “I wish that we could have gotten him.” But with the ruling of the judge, this is where we are.”
According to records, Sanders pleaded to guilty in 2016 for choking his ex-girlfriend in the back of her car while sending her text messages threatening her.
According to an arrest report, Sanders was ejected from the Electric Hotel Nightclub located at 222 W. Ontario St. on January 1, this year early “due his anger”. “.
Sanders allegedly shoved a club manager while he was being escorted out by another manager. The charges against him were misdemeanor battery and assault.
The manager stated that he was as angry as anybody could possibly be. I was less scared of him.
Sanders was cleared of all charges at his first court appearance, which took place later that same month.
Erratic Behavior
Prosecutors claim that Sanders took an unfortunate stroll in West Ridge’s “Little India” area on 12 May.
He began to act erratically as he tried to open a bank account at Hanmi Bank 6335 N. Western Ave. An employee reported a conspiracy to topple the government by calling FBI’s National Threat Operations Center.
He claims that he entered a room in the back of a shoe shop near Devon Avenue and Western Avenue before police arrived. Surveillance footage around 4 pm shows Katanic loitering in the court yard before ascending a staircase to the roof where he was working on a compressor cooler nearby.
Katanic died of stab wounds.
The next day, two recent Loyola University Chicago grads reported an apartment burglary in their Devon and Western building. Prosecutors said that Katanic used a screwdriver to remove the skylight. Sanders then shaved, changed clothes and left a few pieces of evidence in the bathroom.
Prosecutors said that Sanders’ Timberland Boots were put in the oven and a water bottle containing Sanders DNA was discovered on the stove. A screwdriver, hair trimmer and mailbox were discovered on top of the building.
Prosecutors said he walked into a furniture shop in the 2700 Block of West Devon Avenue, where he had previously worked. This was shortly before six o’clock. He had some stolen clothes from Katanic on him and the keys to Katanic were hanging around his waist.
Sanders’ uncle called for assistance after noticing his uncle acting in an erratic manner. Sanders then told his Uncle that he did not have to pay any rent anymore because the landlord lived on top of the building.
Prosecutors said that as he was approaching Evanston, the man flagged down an officer of police and requested to be transported to the hospital.
Sanders’ lawyer stated at his bail hearing that “there is some issue with mental state.” Sanders remains behind bars without bail. Sanders is charged with burglary, murder and robbery.
The police found Al-Sarraj dead the day after he was in court.
I lived a sad life
Aida Sutardio is the daughter of Katanic and has difficulty understanding that “he was killed on a rooftop.”
Do we ever move forward from this?” She asked. “Do we ever find a way to move on from this?”
Sutardio claimed that Katanic’s life was marked by tragedy.
Sutardio searched in gymnasiums for his missing brother, and his belongings, after the Bosnian War.
He never experienced it.
The daughter of my dad said: “I believe that broke him down.” This is how he came to America.
Katanic took care of his daughters because his wife was a night worker. He encouraged them to go to school, to work hard and to stay near their families.
He continued to work for his long-time customers, such as Tahoora Sweets & Bakery at 2345 W. Devon Ave. where he died.
Sutardio stated, “We never imagined that his life could end in this manner.” Living in Chicago you are constantly hearing about the violence. “You never thought that you would be part of this statistic.”
Sutardio was informed by a nearby family member that Al-Sarraj had been found dead in Sanders’ apartment.
Sanders wasn’t working at that time so she asked her why.
Sutardio stated, “I believe that this just shows how inconsistant our system is. There are so many gaps.” Every step along the way his crimes increased until he killed two people.
The call was heartbreaking
In downtown Chicago, the police stopped Khalil Sarraj while he drove a taxi earlier this month.
Sarraj, after asking the reason for their meeting, suddenly understood what it was all about. “Oh, my God! I began to cry. Does she seem to be okay? Is she still alive? “Is she dead?” He asked.
The officer told him that his daughter was murdered.
Al-Sarraj, the son of a Yugoslavian woman in Chicago was born as a result Sarraj moving to America from Israel.
“My heart has been shattered into a thousand pieces,” he said. “I will never be able lead a normal, happy life again. “.
He prays daily for the soul of Al-Sarraj, visiting her grave each day.
Sarraj, and Arnetia, his wife, described the turbulent, short life of Al-Sarraj in great detail.
Sarraj’s wife and daughter were able enroll the girl as a freshmen at Schurz High School, Irving Park despite her mother having taken her out of class in third or fourth grades.
To acclimate herself to normality, she joined Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Sarraj stated, “She has lost so many of her years but is doing very well.”
Al-Sarraj left after one year of trying to “put together all the puzzle pieces”.
Her mom once contacted him and asked if she would like to return with him. Al-Sarraj said that her mother was lying, and she was content where she is.
Sarraj sent a text message to his daughter in August because his brother, who is from Israel, was visiting the city.
She said, “I’m not interested in seeing anyone.” “.
This was the last time her father spoke to her.
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