STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A former professional boxer from Staten Island convicted of murdering his adult daughter has been sentenced by a judge to life in prison.
Kabary Salem, 57, was recently found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder and strangulation in connection with the 2019 homicide case that spanned two states.
Prosecutors said the victim, Ola Salem, 25, who shared a Rosebank home with her father, was killed in Pennsylvania and then driven to Bloomingdale Park on Staten Island, where she was later discovered by a passerby.
The top count carried a mandatory minimum of life in prison, barring any potential mitigating factors argued by the defense. The prosecution, at the start of the trial, decided against pursuing the death penalty, LebTown reported at the time.
In a statement issued after sentencing, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said life in prison was the only reasonable sentence.
“There is but one acceptable punishment for such a heinous crime. This life sentence will not bring Ola back, but it offers a measure of justice and accountability against the defendant,” Sunday stated.
At trial, Kabary Salem took the witness stand and maintained he did not kill his daughter, according to the Lebanon Daily News. And throughout the proceedings, he reportedly accused police of lying about the case.
Said the defendant in part:
“My son is a cop. I love cops. But this moment I don’t like cops anymore, because that is how it happened. A fight between me and the cops.”
Domestic history, sources said
In 2019, a passerby discovered the body of Ola Salem in Bloomingdale Park, prompting a large NYPD response to the area.
Following Ola Salem’s death, law enforcement sources and people known to the family noted a history of domestic incidents at an address shared by Kabary and Ola Salem in Rosebank.
According to prosecutors, the two were in Pennsylvania when Kabary Salem killed his daughter. He was reportedly opening a diner there.
After the discovery of the body, PIX 11 quoted a law enforcement source who said the defendant was unhappy with his daughter’s romantic life. “We believe the father found out she was still dating the boyfriend and not complying with the Muslim religion,” the source said.
Ola Salem was an advocate for women experiencing domestic violence and served as a volunteer at the Asiyah Women’s Center.
Following her death, she was described by friends as a “headstrong” and “emotionally intelligent” woman.
“She could look at someone and know exactly what they’re feeling and know exactly what to say to make that person smile,” said Dania Darwish, the co-founder and executive director of the Muslim women and family shelter.
Defense painted different picture
During opening arguments, defense attorney Jay Nigrini painted a different picture of what happened in the months and hours leading up to Ola Salem’s death, LebTown reported.
Ola Salem, he said, had a history of substance abuse and mental health issues. Her father had brought her to Palmyra, Pennsylvania, to help open the diner — but also to “get her away from New York and give her a clean start,” said Nigrini.
Kabary Salem previously told investigators that the last time he saw his daughter, they were driving in Pennsylvania. They were fighting, he said, and he ordered her out of the car. Then, according to his statements, he watched her enter a black sedan.
That same night, according to Kabary Salem’s statements to police, his daughter had been acting “erratic” and said someone was “following” her, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported.
In regard to the defendant’s DNA found under her fingernails, Nigrini argued it was undetermined how long it had been there. He suggested that “someone else, in some other location,” killed Ola Salem.
Boxing career
The father, when he was younger, had a notable boxing career.
Dubbed “The Egyptian Magician,” he fought in two Olympic Games for Egypt. As a professional, he went 23-5 from 1997 to 2005, according to BoxRec.com.
One of his bouts in 1999 became infamous when his opponent, Randy Carver, died days later. The family of the deceased claimed that repeated, illegal head-butts by Salem throughout the fight contributed to Carver’s death.