WASHINGTON, 24 August — Last week a terrible tragedy occurred when a mother of two children died in her own Maryland home. Her husband, a well-respected Washington-area obstetrician-gynecologist, is accused of having a role in her death. Now two young men, Amin and Omar Zakaria Oweiss, are struggling to cope with the fact that their mother is dead and their father is in jail awaiting trial.
One family friend aptly said, “My heart goes out to their sons — they’ve lost both parents.”
The facts of the murder as they have been reported in almost all cases are as follows: On Aug. 15 in Potomac, Maryland, a family was torn apart by a horrific tragedy. Omar Zakaria Oweiss, a student at the University of Maryland discovered his mother dead at the bottom of the stairs in their home. His father was charged the following day for the death of his wife during a violent struggle.
Zakaria M. Oweiss, 57, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife of more than 20 years, Marianne, 49, after several hours of questioning by Montgomery County police.
Oweiss, a native of Egypt, told authorities his wife “disgraced” his family by having an affair in Egypt, prosecutors said. The doctor had recently returned from Egypt after traveling there to investigate the alleged affair. Mrs. Oweiss, a real estate agent, returned from Egypt Tuesday evening and was dead less than 24-hours later. Co-workers said they had not seen her since May, when she said she had to go to her native Germany to visit relatives.
Montgomery County District Court ordered Dr. Oweiss held without bail. Oweiss’ lawyer, Paul T. Stein, argued in court that his client was not a flight risk and has a “good reputation” in the community. But the judge denied the bond request, noting Oweiss has financial resources and family in Egypt.
Omar Oweiss told police he heard his mother scream that fateful morning. When he went to check on her, he found her at the bottom of the basement steps in a pool of blood, according to court documents. He found his father outside upset and pacing in the driveway.
Authorities also said Zakaria Oweiss had blood spots on his clothing, face and glasses consistent with a violent struggle, plus a cut on his upper chest.
When neighbors were questioned, they said they saw no signs of violence in the home and they described Oweiss as a “very nice gentleman.”
These are the known facts of the case. Unfortunately, a journalist in a Saudi publication offered a fabricated drama as news. A picture was drawn of how jealousy over an extramarital affair led a well-respected member of the community into a motivated, planned crime. This journalist became story-teller, judge and jury. He stated how Dr. Oweiss felt and thought before, after and during the murder. If this journalist is a victim of a malicious source of news, it is still his responsibility to check the facts before reporting them.
The media should be responsible for their actions, just as citizens are held accountable for following laws. Only two people were present during the terrible tragedy, one of them is dead.
I can report for a fact that Dr. Oweiss did not offer the account given. After doing my own investigation, I can also report on the speculation and comments of many questioned.
There is a consensus among family friends that if in fact it was premeditated, then the death would have occurred in Egypt when the affair was confirmed, and not in America in such an incriminating fashion. A struggle, an accident, passion and anger leading to a tragedy? The truth?
Hopefully the jury can fairly judge what is the truth. This family should be spared any further pain, and not be victimized anymore by the media. Enough tragedy has already occurred.
