How Noor Faleh Almaleki's Father Took Her Life

Noor Faleh was hit by his father and days later, she died in the hospital.

By Rare StoriesPublished 3 years ago • 3 min read

Noor and her father

Noor Faleh Almaleki, who was born on February 18, 1989, was an Iraqi-American who died in Peoria, Arizona, as a consequence of an accident caused by her father as part of an honor killing.

The Beginning

Almaleki's family fled Iraq when he was four years old and settled in the Phoenix area in the mid-1990s. Faleh Hassan Almaleki, the father of Noor, was born in Basra, Iraq. Almaleki and her family resided in Glendale, Arizona, and then in the Phoenix neighborhood of Paradise Views.

Almaleki's parents had disagreements with her on her lifestyle and mode of dressing. Her father arranged for her to marry an older cousin in Iraq, but in 2008 she came back to Arizona and began dating someone else, this made her parents very angry with her.

Her parents hated her lifestyle and way of dressing

In the spring of 2009, she moved into her own apartment, but lost money when her family members showed up to her workplaces, compelling her to move back to the family home. In June 2009, she moved into the home of former family friends who are Iraqi Americans. Her relationship with the family's son caused concern among her relatives as the duo became lovers.

Noor filed for a restraining order, but the paperwork was yet to be completed before tragedy struck her.

She was both shocked and scared by his appearance. She was aware that he would not rest until he gained total control over her life.

Noor was the oldest of seven children born to Faleh and Seham Almaleki. Her given name means "God's light"

From their perspective, a man's daughters are his property, and until he decides differently, they are expected to live with him.

The End Of Noor's Life

Almaleki was helping the mother of her boyfriend on October 20, 2009, at an office of the Arizona Department of Economic Security in Peoria. She was translating for the woman. When they were outside the office, Faleh hit them with his car.

Almaleki sustained severe head injury with some of her body being paralyzed while her boyfriend's mother fractured her pelvis. Faleh ran from the crime scene, leaving the victims.

Almaleki's spine was operated on while police officers were sent to watch over her.

They didn't tell her family where she was because they were afraid that her mother or siblings would try to kill her. Almaleki was put into coma.

While she was recovering in the hospital, her family tried to help her father, Faleh, flee abroad.

Faleh took a road trip to Mexico, where he parked his car in Nogales before catching a flight to London. The UK Border Agency denied Faleh entry, and the Brits sent him back to the US, where he was promptly apprehended.

On November 2, Almaleki suffered brain death and her life support was disconnected.

It was determined she died of sepsis after her catheter got infected, with the infection spreading to her heart.

Faleh's Punishment

Faleh's trial started on January 24, 2011. During the trial, his lawyers said that he did hit the two women with his car, but he did not mean to kill them, so he was guilty of second-degree murder.

Faleh was sentenced to a total of 34 and a half years in prison

Faleh was found guilty of murder in the second degree on February 22, 2011.

For murdering his daughter, he received a 16-year term, for hurting her boyfriend's mother, a 15-year penalty, and for fleeing the scene of the crime without authorization, a 3.5-year sentence. Faleh was sentenced to a total of 34 and a half years in prison.