A Detroit man's child molestation charges have been uncovered following his alleged murder by a teen boy he met through a gay dating app.
Seventeen-year-old Ahmed Al-Alikhan has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing a 64-year-old man to death. Authorities believe Howard Brisendine, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, was targeted by Al-Alikhan in a premeditated hate crime.
The incident occurred on Sept. 24 at Brisendine's Detroit home, where police say Al-Alikhan stabbed him multiple times before fleeing in the victim's vehicle. Brisendine's body was discovered five days later by his boss and landlord, Luis Mandujano, who grew concerned when Brisendine failed to show up for work.
Brisendine was a registered sex offender convicted of child molestation in 1996, which the prosecutor's office did not mention in its release, WJBK-TV reported.
"The impression that I got was he was a welcoming man," said Mandujano, who claimed to be unaware of the molestation conviction. "What happened to Howard, who was in my opinion a good man and a good person, he was targeted just because and could be because he was gay, and that's sad."
Al-Alikhan was apprehended by Dearborn Police on Oct. 1 and charged as an adult with first-degree murder, felony murder, and unlawful driving away of an automobile.
In the aftermath of the attack, a GoFundMe page has been established in Brisendine's honor, and the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP) is assisting law enforcement with the case. FMJP also issued a warning, encouraging members of the LGBTQ+ community to remain cautious when using dating apps and to follow safety precautions.
Al-Alikhan remains in custody, awaiting his next court appearance, while the investigation continues.
