Forensic Specialists Collected Hundreds of DNA Samples and Fingerprints from the Scene
A Michigan man has been convicted of first-degree murder in connection with a fatal stabbing that took place in a Santa Monica beach parking lot in November 2022, SMPD announced.
Mohamed Abou-Arabi, 24, was found guilty of killing a Dearborn, Michigan resident whose body was discovered in his car in Lot 1 North, just north of the Santa Monica Pier.
On November 2, 2022, Santa Monica police responded to a report of a man lying motionless in a vehicle, discovered by a parking attendant. The victim, initially unidentified, was found in the driver’s seat with grievous knife wounds.
Investigators later identified the victim as a Dearborn resident who had recently purchased the car in Southern California. Forensic specialists collected hundreds of DNA samples and fingerprints from the scene.
Authorities linked Abou-Arabi to the crime through evidence gathered from the vehicle and other investigative tools.
With the assistance of the Dearborn Police Department, Santa Monica detectives tracked Abou-Arabi’s movements and arrested him in Michigan in January 2023. He was extradited to Los Angeles, where he has remained in custody.
Last month, Abou-Arabi was found guilty of first-degree murder, with an enhancement for using a knife in the fatal attack. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Although Abou-Arabi has no prior arrests in California, he does have two misdemeanor weapons offenses in Michigan. He has refused to provide a motive for the killing during the investigation and trial, according to SMPD.
