LVMPD Hend Bustami.
Hend Karim Bustami is a Nevada woman accused of killing her mother in Las Vegas. Bustami was arrested in California on October 26, 2022, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said in a press release. Bustami previously made headlines in September 2022 for saying police detained her at an airport Chili’s restaurant for being “good-looking,” KLAS reported.
Las Vegas police said they were dispatched about 2:30 a.m. on October 26 to a home in the 10100 block of June Flower Drive for a report of someone injured. According to the press release, a 62-year-old woman was found unresponsive inside the home suffering from “multiple lacerations.” She was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said. Her name has not been made public.
“The investigation by the LVMPD Homicide section indicates the victim was involved in a verbal dispute with her daughter, later identified as 28-year-old Hend Bustami,” police said in the press release. “California Highway Patrol was able to locate and detain Bustami near Barstow.” Bustami is being charged with open murder.
Here’s what you need to know about Hend Bustami:
1. Police Responded to 12 Calls in the Past Year at the Home Where They Say Hend Bustami Killed Her Mother, 8 News Now Reports
According to 8 News Now, police were called 12 times in the past year to the home where investigators say Hend Bustami killed her mother. The news station reported, “Most of these calls, seven, were for ‘family disturbances,’ among others for reports of a missing person, civil matters and a suicide attempt. The most recent was Wednesday morning when police said Bustami called in her own mother’s death before the phone abruptly hung up.”
A neighbor told the news station Bustami would be involved in disturbances or other incidents in the neighborhood once or twice a month. Andres Moreno told 8 News Now, “Usually 10 o’clock or later, they would just be screaming in the backyard, or they’d be fighting. It was usually the older daughter and the mother that would get into i. Of course, shortly after screaming, police presence would be involved and things would get all, you know, get settled down. Then a week later, it’d happen again.” He said Bustami was also known to ask neighbors for car rides, walk into their open garages or scatter her belongings around the neighborhood, the news station reported.
Moreno added, “She would come outside and literally spin in her driveway, singing songs or talking to herself in her driveway, or she’d just walk up and down the street muttering to herself. I believe she had mental health issues and she did desperately need help and maybe chose not to get it. Or, you know, who am I to say, but there was obviously something going on with her.”
Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Dave Valenta told the Review-Journal, “At approximately 2:30 in the morning, a 911 dispatcher received a phone call from a frantic female stating that her mother was dead. Then the line was disconnected.” Police have not released any other details about the killing.
A friend of the victim told KSNV she had seen Bustami’s mother the night before her death and she told her she was afraid of her daughter, saying to her friend, “I’m worried to go home, maybe she will kill me.”
2. Bustami Told Police During the September Incident That She Was Being Harassed by Police Because They Had ‘Never Seen Anyone as Pretty as Her,’ According to Court Documents
Bustami previously made international headlines in September during a bizarre arrest at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. During that incident, Bustami was accused of skipping out on her bill at a Chili’s restaurant, according to court documents. Police detained Bustami near a TSA security checkpoint, where she was sleeping, according to 8 News Now.
She became “belligerent” with officers when they were talking to her and said she was “being harrased because cops had never seen anyone as pretty as her,” according to the arrest report. She was then taken into custody because of an open warrant in Las Vegas Municipal Court. According to the arrest report, Bustami told officers as they arrested her that she was going to “spit on all” of them,” said they were “perverts and were trying to rape her because they had never seen anyone as good looking.”
According to Clark County court records, Bustami was charged with a misdemeanor after the incident at the airport. She was scheduled to appear in court on October 27. It was not immediately clear if that hearing was held without her present after her arrest in California on the murder charge.
3. Hend Bustami Says on Facebook She Was Born in San Francisco, Works in Sales & Marketing & Studied Hospitality at UNLV
FacebookHend Bustami.
Hend Bustami was born in San Francisco, according to her Facebook page. She also goes by Henny Bustami, according to the social media page. Bustami said on Facebook she studied hospitality at UNLV and has worked in sales and marketing and as a cocktail server.
Bustami wrote on her LinkedIn profile, “Hospitality professional with 5 years of food & beverage experience. Skilled in sales, training team members and customer service. Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. My ambition is to enhance my skills in other areas of business, particularly in marketing.”
She graduated from UNLV in 2017, according to her LinkedIn. Her main Instagram account is private. She says in the bio on the page, “Personal page if you know you know. ;)” She then links to a business account where she says in the bio, “A woman. Selling All Natural Skin & Hair Products.”
4. Bustami Is Also a DJ Known as Afrodyte, According to Her Instagram & YouTube Channel
FacebookHend Bustami.
Hend Bustami is also an aspiring DJ using the name Afrodyte, according to her Instagram and YouTube accounts.
Her YouTube features several videos from her work as a DJ.
On Instagram, Bustami has several photos showing her at festivals and concerts and photos that appear to be from modeling shoots, though it is not clear if she was a paid professional model.
5. Hend Karim Bustami Was Being Held in Custody in California Awaiting Extradition to Nevada, Police Say
FacebookHend Bustami.
Las Vegas police said Bustami was being held in custody in California awaiting extradition back to Nevada to face the murder charge. It was not immediately clear if she would first appear in court in Barstow or if she would waive extradition and make her first appearance in Nevada.
It was also not immediately clear if Bustami has hired an attorney who could comment on her behalf and she could not be reached for comment by Heavy. Bustami’s family has not commented about her mother’s death. Heavy will update this article with more information if it is made available.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police added in the press release, “Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.”