Pakistani-American convicted of setting up wife's murder

Prosecutors say Parvaiz had sought help from black magicians to get rid of his wife before setting up the murder

Pakistani-American Kashif Parvaiz on Thursday was convicted of setting up his wife’s August 2011 murder, the Associated Press reported.

The shooting occurred on August 16, 2011 in the town of Boonton, New Jersey as Parvaiz and his Karachi-born wife, Nazish Noorani, took a stroll with their son near her family’s home.

The jury deliberated for less than four hours before convicting Parvaiz of plotting with his girlfriend, Antoinette Stephen, to kill his wife and make it look like a hate crime. Stephen pleaded guilty to murder and other offenses, testified against Parvaiz and admitted firing the shots that killed Noorani. Parvaiz was wounded in the attack while his son was unharmed.

Read: Pakistani charged with wife’s murder

Noorani’s family did not immediately comment.

During the trial, prosecutors said that before the murder Parvaiz had sought help from black magicians asking them to make his wife leave him, kill herself or somehow disappear, and paid at least $4,500 for those spells.

Read: Born in Pakistan, murdered in America

Parvaiz faces life in prison at his April 24 sentencing, while Stephen, who has not been sentenced, faces a minimum of 30 years in prison.

Parvaiz was convicted of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, endangering the welfare of a child, child abuse, hindering apprehension by lying to police and weapons charges.