The Murder of Arezu Kashify
On 5/31/2019, a friend of Arezu Kashify requested a welfare check on Arezu. This friend, who had not spoken to Arezu since 5/26/2019, made the request after Arezu’s parents had not heard from her in days, something which was an uncommon occurrence. A walkthrough of the apartment Arezu shared with her husband and two children on 5/31/2019 did not result in findings of great concern. On 6/4/2019, Arezu, a native of Afghanistan, was found deceased in a small chest freezer concealed beneath a “false bottom,” covered with garbage bags and baskets containing food items. There were indications she had been beaten prior to being placed in the freezer and forensic testing located areas of apparent blood staining which had been cleaned.
Arezu’s husband, Wahid Kashify, told a friend Arezu had run away and that he was planning on leaving their two children (5-year-old boy and 9-month-old boy) to “go to work.” This friend had his wife and son collect the children, shortly after which Wahid fled the United States for Afghanistan. Prior to fleeing, Wahid recorded a video confession in which he admitted to killing Arezu.
Local, federal and international agency cooperation continues to take place to bring Wahid to justice.
Presenters' Bios
Detective Marc Melville
He began his 21+ year law enforcement career with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office in 2002. He was promoted to detective in 2016 and after a six-month stint investigating property/drug crimes, has been a member of the Major Crimes Unit since 2017. This unit is responsible for the investigation of robberies, serious assaults and homicides as well as assisting in other investigations as needed. He is a member of the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team, which investigates incidents in which Washington State Peace Officers use deadly force in the capacity of their law enforcement duties.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Anastasiya Krotoff
Anastasiya Krotoff is a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Spokane County in the Major Crimes Unit, where she handles the most violent crimes. Anastasiya obtained dual degrees in Government and International Affairs from Eastern Washington University and went on to graduate Willamette College of Law. Anastasiya has been an attorney for 8 years and has spent the bulk of her time as a trial lawyer in victim crime units, to include Major Crimes, Special Assault, Domestic Violence, and Financial Fraud. Anastasiya has also served as a Washington State Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, where she handled the most serious traffic crimes and offered training support to both law enforcement and new prosecutors. During her career, she has prosecuted every type of crime from misdemeanors to murder and continues to proudly serve her community today.
