Dateline: The Shadow in the Window – Who was Nada Huranieh and what happened to her? Details of the 2017 murder, explored

The Dateline episode titled The Shadow in the Window features yet another chilling case of 2017 when a 14-year-old Aya Altantawi noticed her mother, Nada Huranieh, did not appear to carry on the daily routine, which is highly unusual in such a strictly organised home. When Aya went to investigate, she discovered an open window in the guest bedroom. Below it, on the back patio, lay her mother’s lifeless body.

At first glance, the scene appeared to be a terrible accident—perhaps Nada had fallen while cleaning. But she sensed something absurd, and an autopsy later revealed it to be a murder and not an accident. Read on to learn about who Nada Huranieh was and what happened to her.

Who was Nada Huranieh, as shown in the Dateline episode The Shadow in the Window

Nada Huranieh, 35, was a Syrian-born woman who moved to the United States with her husband, Dr. Bassel Altantawi, a physician who eventually opened his urgent care clinic. Bassel always focused on his medical career, while Nada bore the responsibility of raising three kids. However, as she began to live in America, she started to crave more autonomy, evolving from a dutiful wife to an independent woman.

Nada was married young to Bassel, and they both were devout Muslims. Even during their early years in the US, they adhered to traditional gender roles. Over time, Nada began to push back against expectations placed on her. According to her daughter Aya, Nada began asserting her own choices and no longer blindly followed what was expected of her.

“She wasn’t really being submissive anymore," Aya recalled. "She wasn’t being like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do whatever you want.' 'Oh, I won’t go to work' or 'I won’t get an education,’ that sort of thing."

She stopped wearing the hijab and took up a job as a personal trainer. However, her growing independence clashed with her husband’s controlling nature, leading to violence in the relationship. About 18 months before Nada’s death, Bassel slammed a door on her hand during an argument. Aya called the police, and Bassel was charged with domestic violence. This marked the breaking point of their marriage.

The two separated, and Nada began building a life on her terms. Her newfound independence was reportedly resented by her son Muhammad, who grew increasingly aligned with his father’s more traditional beliefs. Tragically, on August 21, 2017, she was murdered by her 16-year-old son, Muhammad. He was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 35–60 years in prison, as shown on Dateline.

Disturbing details of the 2017 case were explored, as shown in Dateline

The crime scene was discovered to be staged. A ladder and cleaning supplies near the window were placed to reinforce the theory of Nada falling while cleaning and dying. But later in the autopsy, it was revealed that she was smothered and killed before being pushed from the window. She had been suffocated with a damp towel and suffered blunt force trauma, meaning she was dead before the fall. Surveillance footage captured a shadowy figure dragging her body to the window. Authorities later concluded that this figure was her son, Muhammad, who had sided with his father during the divorce. Muhammad reportedly viewed his mother’s independent lifestyle as incompatible with their strict Syrian and Islamic values.

Muhammad was charged and later convicted of first-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 35 to 60 years in prison in 2022. The tragedy left Aya without a mother or brother, as she emotionally testified in court against Muhammad.

“When the divorce case started, he was very against it because he had kind of saw it as my mother was trying to take my father’s money, my father’s house, um, destroy our family, rip our family apart,” she told the court.

Trending

Investigators uncovered several pieces of evidence implicating Muhammad. His statements were inconsistent throughout about his whereabouts during the time of the attack. Several phone calls were made between Muhammad and his father during the time of the crime, despite his claim that he was asleep, as explored in Dateline.

Dateline NBC explored the case in length in its episode titled "The Shadow in the Window," which aired on September 20, 2024.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback