Abdikadir is charged with murder and held without bond

HENDERSON, Ky. — A Henderson man accused of slitting his wife’s throat appeared in district court Tuesday.

Henderson District Judge Leslie Newman entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Mohamud Abdikadir, 21, who is charged with murder and two counts of tampering with physical evidence in the death of 20-year-old Chloe Randolph Abdikadir. The two charges of tampering are in connection with alleged actions Abdikadir took to hide Chloe’s body and her vehicle, officials said.

The arraignment was held via video from the Henderson County Detention Center. During the arraignment, Abdikadir told Newman that he’d hired Owensboro attorney Evan Taylor. Newman said since Taylor wasn’t present for the arraignment she’d appoint a public defender to represent him at least until his preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for April 10.

Newman told Abdikadir he is facing murder, which is a capital crime and could possibly be punished with death or life in prison.

In addition, Newman changed Abdikadir’s current $100,000 full-cash bond to no bond “because you have been assessed as a flight risk,” the judge said.

Henderson police said Abdikadir is accused of killing his wife on March 23 at his residence on Green River Road, shoving her body into a closet, moving her vehicle and then leaving the Commonwealth with the couple’s 9-month-old son.

Investigators said the couple was planning to divorce and custody issues had surfaced.

For unknown reasons, Abdikadir left Kentucky and drove to West Memphis, Arkansas, where he became involved in a verbal altercation, authorities said. The incident caused West Memphis police to respond, and he was taken into custody.

HPD Detective Jake Isonhood said while speaking with WMPD officers, Abdikadir told them his wife was dead. He told Arkansas authorities he didn’t hurt her but he did move her body.

After being notified by West Memphis police, Henderson officers responded to Abdikadir’s apartment and located Chloe’s body following the information he provided.

According to a press release issued by HPD Friday after he was extradited from Arkansas, Abdikadir “admitted to hitting Chloe with a hammer three times, causing her to fall down. Mohamud did not know how many times he hit Chloe while she was down. Mohamud advised he hit Chloe two more times with the hammer while she was on the rug in the living room. Mohamud stated this caused Chloe to pass out. While Chloe was unconscious Mohamud cut her throat. Mohamud said he placed Chloe’s body inside the closet, took a shower, and left. Mohamud also admitted to moving Chloe’s car a couple blocks away from the apartment.”

Abdikadir, who came to the United States roughly two years ago from Somalia, is in the country legally, but he is not a U.S. citizen, according to police.

The couple’s baby was found safe and returned to family, authorities said.

Abdikadir is being held at the Henderson County Detention Center.

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