A North Carolina woman found dead in a Chatham County lake nearly a year ago had a gunshot wound to the back.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office said in a report released Monday that the gunshot was the likely cause of death for 34-year-old Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat, and the manner was homicide, according to WTVD.
“While it is possible that drowning may have played a role in this death, there were no overt signs of such at autopsy, and the severity of the gunshot wound injuries makes it likely that she would have died prior to submersion having a chance to significantly contribute,” the autopsy report said.
Hikmat’s husband, Omar Matthew Ibrahim Drabick, was arrested last September and charged with murder and concealment of a an unnatural death, as CrimeOnline reported.
Hikmat’s body was found in Jordan Lake on August 29, near Farrington Point Boat Ramp in Chatham County and was identified on September 7.
Drabick remains behind bars without bond, jail records show.
According to court records, investigators believe Drabick killed Hikmat and tossed her body off a bridge, WTVD reported. The body was found about 700 yards from the bridge, and investigators found a 9mm shell casing, blood spatter, and an earring that appeared to match Hikmat’s other jewelry on the bridge.
The autopsy said that Hikmat’s body was found fully clothed.
