A Hoover man and father of six adult children is under arrest after authorities say he tried to hire someone to kill his wife and kids.
The FBI in Birmingham this week arrest 61-year-old Mohammad A.H. Mohammad, who owns American Plumbing Service LLC in Homewood.
Mohammad is charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
Charging documents against Mohammad chronicles years of a contentious divorce with his 55-year-old wife that included threats of violence and the torching of his family’s vehicles, and months of him allegedly planning to have them all murdered.
Authorities contend Mohammad offered the hitman, who was an undercover FBI employee, $20.000 to kill his wife, and $5,000 for each of his six children.
Mohammad reportedly told a witness who is cooperating with the FBI and who was asked to find someone to carry out the hit that he was willing to “die for self-dignity” and “die for pride.”
Mohammad and his marital discord was nothing new to law enforcement.
Hoover officers in 2021 arrested him on a domestic violence charge for assaulting one of daughters. Those charges were subsequently dismissed.
Mohammad’s wife that same year obtained three Protection from Abuse orders against her husband, in which she said genuinely feared him because he had told her he would “come after her.”
“Mohammad has hurt me and my kids and used weapons against us,’’ she wrote. “Mohammad said he wanted to shoot my daughter between the eyes.”
The wife also said in PFAs that Mohammad “threatens to lock us in the basement and kill us. He always threatens me and my children with violence. He has put his hands on my kids and sent them to the emergency room. He has put a gun and knife against my kids heads and throats. He has shot guns at us.”
In 2022, Homewood police arrested Mohammad on a stalking charge for placing GPS tracking devices on the cars of his wife and children.
On Jan. 3, 2023, Hoover police and firefighters responded to a home on a report of a vehicle arson. The burned vehicle was associated with a close friend of Mohammad’s wife.
The suspect’s vehicle in that case had been bought by Mohammad.
The following day, a pickup truck belonging to one of Mohammad’s sons was set on fire in the driveway of the family’s home.
In September 2023, according to charging documents, another son’s SUV and three other vehicles were burned in a suspicious fire.
Nine months ago, in December 2023, the wife received a call from a man on behalf of Mohammad in an attempt to reconcile, but she refused.
Twelve hours later, documents state, a daughter’s Toyota Avalon was torched at her home.
Mohammad was arrested for violation of a protective order and his bond on the stalking charge was revoked.
During a court hearing, authorities introduced an audio recording captured by a witness. A witness said to Mohammad, “If you hurt them (Mohammad’s family), you’ll got to hell forever.’’
Mohammad replied, “No, God will reward me.”
Mohammad’s bond was revoked but he was released again in February 2024. He was ordered to wear and ankle monitor, and the PFAs remained in place.
Last month, on Aug. 21, a “cooperating witness” told FBI agents that Mohammad made repeated requests to help him find someone to “take care” of his family members.
“Mohammad described the break down with his wife and children including his arrests and instances of arson involving his family members,’’ the agent wrote in the federal complaint.
Mohammad showed the witness pictures of burned vehicles on his phone and explained that he felt his pride and self-dignity had been destroyed throughout the falling-out with his family over the last few years.
The witness told Mohammad that “people from his culture” were killing people every day.
Mohammad responded, “Find me somebody then. Find me somebody. I’ll pay. All I need is a number.”
Mohammad, according to federal agents, paid for a hotel room for the witness in compensation for giving him a name and number of a possible hitman.
On Aug. 26, the witness called Mohammad and said he was getting him someone to do it. “I need this shit done,’’ Mohammad told him.
An FBI undercover employee posed as the hitman, and the witness agreed to set up a meeting.
Two days later, an unidentified man bought two Straight Talk Wireless Samsung Galaxy cell phones and two unlimited phone cards from Walmart in Homewood at the price of $257.20.
Walmart security footage showed Mohammad’s truck dropping off the unknown buyer, who was wearing a t-shirt with Mohammad’s plumbing company name on it.
The planning continued, all over the newly-purchased burner phones.
On Sept. 4, 2024, the other Straight Talk Wireless cell phone provided to the undercover FBI employee was activated.
On Sept. 21, Mohammad met with the undercover employee and an undisclosed location.
“During the meeting, Mohammad explained …how his family had turned against him,’’ the agent wrote. “Mohammad claimed that his family had set him up to be arrested and removed from his family home.”
Mohammad showed the undercover employee pictures of burned cars and burned structures belonging to his family. He also showed them pictures of his family members and provided him with descriptions of their vehicles, and their addresses.
Mohammad showed the FBI UCE photographs from Mohammad’s Apple
He offered the “hitman” $20,000 to kill his wife, and $5,000 each for his children.
“You pick and choose who you gunna take out, and get paid,’’ Mohammad told him.
“Start with one. Take your time. Second. Third. Fourth. Five. I don’t give (expletive). Just, start with one. What’s going to be to charge, start with one?”
Mohammad provided the FBI employee $550 as a down-payment for the murders, with the understanding that the remaining balance would be paid upon the deaths of the intended targets.
Mohammad was taken into federal custody on Monday.
