Already Charged with Murder, Inmate Tries to Hire Hitman to Kill Witness

Rice says that Hira tried to hire hitman to kill a witness in his upcoming murder trial

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that accused killer Harpal Hira has been indicted by a grand jury on charges that the Hicksville man attempted to hire a hitman from his Nassau County jail cell his to murder his sister-in-law, who Rice says is scheduled to testify in Hira’s upcoming murder trial.

Hira, 34, was arrested last year for the August 2, 2008 murder of his 56-year-old mother-in-law, Meena Kohli, and the attempted murder of his wife, Ritika Hira, 24.  The attack took place at the couple’s Hicksville home.  Kohli was stabbed to death and Ritika Hira sustained defensive stab wounds to her arms and hands.  Also in the home at the time of the incident were the Hira’s two newborn twin boys, who were found by police officers to be unharmed, and Ritika’s sister, who witnessed portions of the attack and helped fend off Hira before he fled the scene. Ritika Hira’s sister then ran to a neighbor’s house to call police. 

After a more than three-week manhunt following the murder, Hira was apprehended August 27, 2008, along with a friend who has since been charged with helping Hira elude authorities in the weeks after the killing. 

Rice said that as Hira’s trial date approached, her office and the Nassau County Police Department began receiving tips from individuals claiming to have knowledge of the defendant’s jailhouse attempts to hire a hitman to kill his sister-in-law, who is scheduled to testify as a witness during the trial.  To break up the plot before it came to fruition, authorities enlisted the help of a jail informant whom Hira had approached earlier about the intended murder. The informant brokered a meeting between Hira and a hitman who was, in reality, an undercover officer. Hira is heard on electronic surveillance giving the undercover officer personal background information on his sister-in-law, including information on her possible whereabouts.  On June 10 the two men agreed that Hira would pay the “hitman” $10,000 in exchange for the murder. 

In addition to the murder and attempted murder charges, the grand jury’s indictment now includes the charge of Criminal Solicitation in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree.  The new charge will be handled separate from the murder case and could land the defendant in prison for up to 25 years regardless of whether he’s convicted of the fatal knife attack.

Hira was arraigned today in front of Nassau County Judge Meryl Berkowitz.  He is being held without bail in the Nassau County jail.

“This is a dangerous, violent inmate who will do anything to improve his chances of beating this murder case,” said Rice.  “Luckily we learned of the plot with enough time to keep the witness safe and to hold the defendant accountable for his sinister plan.”

Following the arraignment, Rice commended the work of corrections officers and jail staff in performing the safe and flawlessly executed undercover investigation inside the East Meadow facility.

Handling the case for the DA’s office is Deputy Bureau Chief Anne Donnelly of the DA’s Economic Crimes Bureau. Hira is being represented by Michael Dergarabedian, Esq. 

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.