Prosecutors in Lake County, Florida, are pursuing the death penalty against Shahidul Islam, a 44-year-old Bangladeshi national indicted for the premeditated first-degree murder of his sister-in-law, Monica Islam. The indictment was issued by a grand jury on July 8, 2026, for the May 2, 2025 shooting death.

According to State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Monica Islam was found with a gunshot wound to the head on the side of a road hours after her disappearance. She was last seen walking toward Shahidul Islam's car. Authorities also discovered that Islam had made numerous "suspicious" online searches on the morning of the killing.

Following the murder, Shahidul Islam allegedly rented a car and fled to New York City, a sanctuary city, after re-entering the United States illegally post-deportation. He had been deported multiple times prior to the incident. After being prosecuted and sentenced for unlawful entry, Islam was extradited back to Lake County, where he is currently held without bond at the Lake County Detention Facility.

State Attorney Gladson emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, "No family should ever have to endure the pain of such a senseless and horrific act of violence as this one," and acknowledged that "no prosecution can restore the life that was taken."

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to standing firm against violent crime, sanctuary cities, and illegal immigration, prioritizing the safety of law-abiding families.

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