Ex-wife Pleads Not Guilty in Murder of Woodland Hills Doctor

Accused of Hiring Hitman to Kill Doctor for Financial Gain

The ex-wife of a doctor who was shot outside his Woodland Hills clinic in what prosecutors allege was a murder-for-hire plot pleaded not guilty Monday, along with an alleged co-conspirator in the killing.

Charged with Murder and Conspiracy

Ahang Mirshojae, 53, of Calabasas, is charged with murder, as are Evan Hardman, 41, of Tomball, Texas; and Sarallah Jawed, 26, of Canoga Park, in connection with the Aug. 23 slaying of Mirshojae’s former husband, Dr. Hamid Mirshojae, 61.

Plea and Arraignment

Ahang Mirshojae and Jawed both pleaded not guilty to the murder charge Monday morning and were ordered to return to court March 17, when a date will be set for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for them to stand trial.

Special Circumstance Allegations

The murder charge against Mirshojae includes the special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder for financial gain in connection with the slaying of her ex-husband, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The murder charge against Jawed includes the special circumstance allegation of murder for financial gain.

Crime Scene

Authorities said the victim was ambushed Aug. 23 as he walked to his vehicle in the parking lot outside his clinic in the 5900 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, near Warner Center Park. According to police, when the victim approached the driver’s side of his vehicle, a “masked man emerged from hiding around the corner of the clinic and ran toward him. From a close distance, the suspect fired at Dr. Mirshojae in an ambush-style attack and then immediately fled back toward the rear of the clinic away from the scene.”

Additional Charges

Mirshojae also faces a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with an alleged baseball bat attack May 3 on her former husband. Hardman and Jawed are also charged in connection with the May 3 baseball bat attack.

Court Proceedings

Hardman, the alleged gunman, was a no-show in court Monday, so his arraignment was reset for Tuesday. The murder charge against Hardman includes the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and murder by means of lying in wait, along with allegations that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm and that he has a string of robbery convictions in Los Angeles County dating back to 2002, according to the complaint. Prosecutors on Monday added a new charge against him of being a felon in possession of a handgun.

Jail Status

All three remain jailed without bail.

Prosecutor’s Description

Deputy District Attorney Ben Schwartz described the murder in court Monday as an assassination. The prosecutor alleged that Hardman confessed to police when he was arrested in Texas and told officers that Ahang Mirshojae paid him thousands of dollars to murder her ex-husband.

Defendant’s Attorney

Ahang Mirshojae’s attorney, Donald Marks, said his client had no expectation of financial gain. “She had nothing to gain,” Marks told the court, adding that the victim’s will left everything to a trust involving the ex-couple’s three children. “She will get nothing from the proceeds of the trust.”

Fourth Defendant

A fourth defendant, Ashley Rose Sweeting, 40, of Reseda, pleaded not guilty Dec. 12 to one count of being an accessory after the fact, along with an allegation that she has one or more prior serious or violent felony convictions. Sweeting — who is accused of driving Hardman to and from the scene of the shooting — remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail. She is due back in a Los Angeles courtroom Feb. 5, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against her to proceed to trial.

Conclusion

The case against Ahang Mirshojae and her co-defendants is ongoing, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 17. The allegations against them are serious and disturbing, and it is clear that the prosecution has a strong case against them.

FAQs

* What is the charge against Ahang Mirshojae?
+ Murder, with special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder for financial gain.
* What is the charge against Evan Hardman?
+ Murder, with special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and murder by means of lying in wait, as well as being a felon in possession of a handgun.
* What is the charge against Sarallah Jawed?
+ Murder, with special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain.
* What is the status of the case?
+ The case is ongoing, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 17.