Captured fugitive's brother in 2008 'honor killings' found guilty for hiding him

LEWISVILLE, Texas - A jury convicted the brother of one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives for keeping him hidden since 2008.

Yassein Said hid his brother, Yaser Said, in a Bedford apartment and later a home in Justin.

Yaser was wanted for murdering his daughters in 2008. Yaser's son, Islam, has already pleaded guilty for keeping him hidden.

Even with Thursday’s guilty verdict, the long saga is not over yet for those who loved Amina and Sarah.

Yaser is still going through the justice system, but those who knew the girls say they’re one step closer to closing this chapter and moving toward healing.

Ruth Trotter didn’t ever think she’d see the day those who helped hide Yaser since 2008 are found guilty and Yaser himself sits behind bars awaiting his day in court.

"Just an overwhelming sense of flashbacks of Amina and Sarah," Trotter said. "All these years, we’ve been waiting for this. I don’t even know if I can put it into words. It was just like a tsunami of emotions. It still is."

Trotter’s son, Joseph, was dating Amina Said at the time of her murder.

"It’s been trying for us all these years and for him especially. We have good days and bad days," she said. "To say that we’re ever going to recover from this… he was a teenager when this happened, and it’s going to be with him forever."

Investigators say Yaser took his daughters for a ride in his taxicab on New Year’s Day in 2008 and shot them. Authorities said Yaser was angry with the girls for dating non-Muslims.

By 2020, Yaser had been on the run for 12 years when the FBI finally tracked him last August to an apartment in Bedford and then to a home in Justin. His son, Islam, and brother, Yassein, were arrested in Euless.

Last month, Islam pleaded guilty to hiding his father over the years.

In federal court Thursday, a jury convicted Yaser’s brother. They deliberated for four hours.

"I’m just kind of wanting all of this to hurry up and be over honestly so that I can have, starting a new journey, a new path of resolve," Trotter said.

With one more possible trial left, Trotter plans to be there when Yaser finally sees his day in court.

"Amina and Sarah, this was not their choice. They were human beings. They were amazing beautiful girls," Trotter said.

Both Yassein and Islam face up to 30 years in federal prison. Sentencing is set for June 4.

Yaser is currently in the Dallas County jail and has not yet gone to trial.