Man charged in 'particularly heinous' killing of DC resident found bound and set on fire in ritzy area: police

A antheral has been arrested successful the sidesplitting of Syed Hammad Hussain, a 40-year-old Northwest Washington nonmigratory recovered dormant wrong his condominium successful the city's ritzy Logan Circle vicinity successful February, successful what constabulary picture arsenic a "particularly heinous" lawsuit involving a robbery, a convulsive battle and a occurrence acceptable aft his death.

Rico Rashaad Barnes, 36, of Northwest D.C., was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree execution portion equipped successful Hussain’s killing, authorities said. Police person identified a 2nd suspect, who is already successful custody connected unrelated charges and is expected to beryllium charged successful the case.

The sidesplitting occurred successful the 1400 artifact of Rhode Island Avenue NW, a well-trafficked country successful the Logan Circle country known for its restaurants and high-end residential buildings.

"This was a peculiarly heinous case," Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeff Carroll said during a Tuesday quality conference. "Mr. Hussain was recovered suffering from blunt unit trauma and thermal injuries wrong of his apartment."

36-year-old Rico Barnes, of Northwest, DC, has been charged with archetypal degree-murder portion armed-felony murder. (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS

Firefighters responding to reports of fume astir 3:30 a.m. connected Feb. 11 entered Hussain’s apartment, extinguished a tiny occurrence and recovered him unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced dormant astatine the scene.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner aboriginal ruled the decease a homicide caused by blunt unit trauma and strangulation. Investigators determined the occurrence had been acceptable aft Hussain’s death.

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital item the convulsive series of events.

Logan Circle is simply a postulation circle, vicinity and historical territory successful the NW quadrant of Washington, D.C. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

According to a 27-page affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital, surveillance footage shows Hussain entering his flat gathering astir 1:30 a.m., followed intimately by 2 men.

"The video shows 2 suspects appearing to travel Mr. Hussain into the building," Commander Kevin Kentish of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division said Tuesday. "Shortly thereafter, the suspects knocked connected the door, and Mr. Hussain allowed them inside."

Once inside, investigators say, the brushwood escalated.

On Monday, March 30, 2026, pursuant to a DC Superior Court apprehension warrant, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested 36-year-old Rico Barnes, of Northwest, DC. (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)

Video and witnesser statements, constabulary said, revealed that Hussain was assaulted successful the building’s lobby, struck and knocked to the crushed earlier being forced toward his apartment. Detectives judge helium was past dragged oregon carried inside, wherever the onslaught continued retired of presumption of cameras.

When exigency crews aboriginal entered the apartment, they recovered Hussain lying look down with his wrists and ankles bound. Blood was disposable connected floors, walls and furniture, according to investigators.

The autopsy recovered aggregate blunt unit injuries, including skull fractures, arsenic good arsenic grounds of ligature strangulation. Burns to Hussain’s assemblage were determined to person occurred aft his death. Investigators allege the sidesplitting took spot during a robbery.

The flat had been searched, with drawers opened and items missing, including electronics, jewelry and cash. Authorities said that $50,000 worthy of items were stolen from the condo.

"Video grounds was cardinal successful this case," Kentish said, adding that detectives spent "countless hours" reviewing footage from wrong the gathering and surrounding areas.

Police accidental that Hussain did not look to cognize his attackers earlier helium was killed. MPD's Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll said connected Tuesday that Barnes and the different fishy appeared to person taken items from Hussain's flat aft the attack.  (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)

That video way revealed that the suspects near the gathering astir 2:30 a.m. carrying aggregate bags. Detectives tracked them crossed Northwest Washington utilizing surveillance cameras and footage obtained with assistance from Metro Transit Police.

The suspects were seen walking on Rhode Island Avenue, past boarding a Metrobus and traveling toward the Georgia Avenue corridor earlier continuing by foot, according to investigators.

Through that process, constabulary identified Barnes arsenic 1 of the suspects.

GOT A TIP?

Court documents accidental detectives matched surveillance images with constabulary records and witnesser identifications.

FOLLOW US ON X

A 2nd suspect, identified successful tribunal documents arsenic Alphonso Walker, was besides linked to the transgression done surveillance footage, witnesser statements and GPS information from an ankle monitor, which placed him successful the country during the timeframe of the killing.

Barnes was arrested March 30 by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

Police said they bash not judge determination are further suspects.

Police explained that a camera captured 2 radical pursuing Hussain arsenic helium walked into his flat gathering the nighttime helium was killed. A abbreviated clip later, the 2 suspects reportedly knocked connected the gathering door, and Hussain fto the brace in. (Superior Court of the District of Columbia)

Investigators said they bash not judge Hussain had a anterior narration with the suspects earlier the time of the killing.

Carroll praised the enactment of homicide detectives and spouse agencies progressive successful the case, calling it "strong detective work."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"On behalf of the full Metropolitan Police Department, I privation to explicit my deepest sympathies to Mr. Hussain’s household and his friends," Carroll said. "We cognize that this quality does not easiness the symptom that you’re feeling, but we anticipation it does bring immoderate level of closure."

Barnes remains successful custody arsenic the lawsuit proceeds successful D.C. Superior Court.

Fox News Digital's Olivia Palombo contributed to this report.