Breakthrough in 2011 Cold Case Murder of Cleveland Woman
A significant breakthrough has emerged in a cold case murder that has remained unsolved for over a decade. A 31-year-old man, deported to the Middle East years ago, has now been charged with the killing of a Cleveland woman.
Heather O’Brien, just 21 years old at the time, was found dead on the east side of Cleveland. Her body was discovered five days after Thanksgiving on November 29, 2011, lying face down behind a convenience store on Euclid Avenue in the Euclid-Green neighborhood. She had been strangled.
Despite efforts to gather evidence and identify her killer, the case grew cold as years went by.
This month, charges were filed against Yousef Ali in connection with Heather’s murder. A grand jury indicted him on two counts of aggravated murder, along with five additional felony charges.
Ali has a criminal history that includes a conviction for sexual assault just six months after Heather’s death. In May 2012, an 18-year-old woman reported that Ali had grabbed her by the neck and dragged her up the stairs to his apartment in Slavic Village, attempting to assault her. She managed to escape by breaking a window, prompting Ali to release her while apologizing. Initially charged with four felonies, including attempted rape, Ali ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was classified as a Tier II sex offender, receiving a one-year prison sentence.
Before his release in 2013, he was transferred to Immigration and Homeland Security and subsequently deported to Jordan, as noted by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.
Questions remain regarding the current whereabouts of Ali and whether he will be extradited back to Ohio to face the new charges. 19 Investigates has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more information.
Additionally, the details regarding how investigators solved this case remain unclear, as both the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and Cleveland Police have not provided answers.
If she were still alive today, Heather O’Brien would be 34 years old.
