Ex-wife, alleged gunman to stand trial in killing of California doctor

The ex-wife of a Woodland Hills doctor and the man she allegedly hired to kill him for $400,000 were ordered to stand trial for murder, while charges were dropped against two other defendants due to insufficient evidence.

Getting your Trinity Audio //trinityaudio.ai player ready...The ex-wife of a prominent Woodland Hills doctor and the man she allegedly hired to kill him https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/17/woodland-hills-doctors-ex-wife-charged-with-murder-da-says-she-hired-hit-men-to-shoot-him/ for $400,000 were ordered to stand trial on a murder charge, while the same charge was dropped against two other defendants in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. After a preliminary hearing https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/15/bitter-divorce-threats-of-violence-between-slain-woodland-hills-doctor-ex-wife-in-court-records/ that stretched over parts of three days, Judge Eleanor J. Hunter ruled enough evidence existed to have the case against Ahang Mirshojae, 54, and Evan Hardman https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/15/before-doctor-was-killed-texas-man-lied-in-wait-for-him-at-woodland-hills-clinic-prosecutors-say/ , 42, heard by a jury. Hardman was also held to answer on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and felon in possession of a firearm. The murder charge against both includes special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder for financial gain. A murder charge against Sarallah Jawed, 28, and Ashley Sweeting, 41, was dropped after Hunter ruled there was not enough evidence to show they were aware of Mirshojae’s and Hardman’s alleged plan to kill Hamid Mirshojae, 61, outside his medical practice in the 5900 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard on Aug. 23, 2024. During cross-examination by defense attorneys, Los Angeles police Detective Benyamin Sadeh said that Hardman consistently said during a lengthy interview that Jawed and Sweeting did not have any knowledge of the murder plan. Jawed was simply told by Hardman that Hardman needed to “finish the job,” which Jawed’s attorney argued could signal to Jawed another attempt at beating the victim, which they had tried and failed to do on May 3, 2024. Sweeting’s attorney argued that Sweeting was told by Hardman only that he needed her to drive while he ran an errand for his boss and that even though there was evidence Sweeting was inside a business owned by Ahang Mirshojae in the same complex at the time of the killing, there was no communication between her and Hardman at any point until she walked out toward the getaway car. Hunter agreed with both attorneys in dropping the charge. As the hearing ended, both Jawed and Sweeting hugged their attorneys. Sweeting cried as the judge dismissed the murder charge against her, which prosecutors during the hearing had signaled that they had planned to add to the complaint. A charge of assault with a deadly weapon against Mirshojae was not addressed by Hunter at the end of the hearing, but the judge did say she planned to hold Mirshojae to answer to that charge at a later hearing. Evidence was also presented Thursday indicating one of Hamid and Ahang Mirshojae’s children, Nick Mirshojae, had arrived at the clinic to pick up a payroll check 15 minutes before the killing. On questioning by Ahang Mirshojae’s attorney, Los Angeles police Detective Israel Lopez said they looked into Nick Mirshojae during their investigation, but did not find evidence that he was involved in the killing. During earlier testimony, Detective Benyamin Sadeh testified that in a second interview with Hardman, 42, in Texas, Hardman laid out how his working relationship with Ahang Mirshojae led to the killing, including that he was to be paid $400,000 for the job and that he received a bag of money she claimed contained $50,000 within hours after he allegedly fatally shot Hamid Mirshojae as the doctor walked to his SUV from his medical practice that August day. Sadeh testified that according to Hardman, Ahang Mirshojae was the one who tasked him with assaulting and robbing the victim May 3, 2024, but that attack was unsuccessful. She then allegedly told Hardman during a meeting at an Agoura Hills restaurant that she wanted her ex-husband dead. Hardman allegedly told detectives Ahang Mirshojae suspected her ex-husband was giving opioids to their son, Nick — whom Hardman said was a drug addict — in an attempt to kill him and collect life insurance money. Jawed allegedly told detectives he believed Ahang Mirshojae was jealous of Hamid Mirshojae and his new wife and child. In his interview, Hardman told detectives that Ahang Mirshojae provided burner phones, changes of clothes, places to stay, vehicles and the gun Hardman allegedly used to commit the killing, Sadeh said. Hardman was the one who enlisted the help of Jawed and Sweeting, but never told them about the plan to kill, Sadeh testified. Detectives believe Hardman and Jawed became friends while Hardman worked at a hookah lounge in the same business complex that housed the medical clinic, Lopez said. That business complex was owned by Ahang Mirshojae, who also ran a rehab center two doors down from Hamid Mirshojae’s medical office. Lopez said Hardman and Sweeting were childhood friends who had known each other for more than 20 years. The working relationship between Ahang Mirshojae and Hardman began after he won a $5,000 bet in a chess game against Nick Mirshojae at a bar and took his phone, jewelry and clothing as collateral for not having the money. The son was to call Hardman when he had at least $1,000, but when the call came, it was Ahang Mirshojae on the other line, according to Sadeh. The ex-wife remembered Hardman because he had previously broken into one of the businesses on the complex, a crime that was caught on video. Ahang Mirshojae said Hardman could either work for her, or she could take the video from that crime to the police, Sadeh said, though she said she didn’t want to, Hardman allegedly told detectives. During his first interview, Hardman was reluctant to speak with detectives out of concern for the safety of his then-pregnant girlfriend, but then his girlfriend reached out days later saying he wanted to talk, Sadeh testified. The bulk of the preliminary hearing centered on Hardman’s second interview with detectives following his arrest in Texas. Prosecutors also showed footage of Hardman running up to Hamid Mirshojae as he approached his SUV, then running away a short time later after the alleged shot was fired. Hamid and Ahang Mirshojae divorced in 2010 and had a string of legal court battles over money that also included several requests for restraining orders. The defendants were arrested in December 2024.