Brothers charged in death of man wrapped in duct tape

TERRYTOWN, La. – Two brothers have been indicted on charges that they suffocated a Louisiana man by wrapping him in duct tape.

NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports 40-year-old Saleh Omar and 18-year-old Yazan Omar were charged Thursday with second-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Mohamed Mezlini.

Mezlini was a former employee of Saleh Omar, who owned a cellphone business in Terrytown. A detective testified during a preliminary hearing that Saleh Omar believed Mezlini wronged him in some financial way. Authorities say Saleh Omar lured Mezlini to a vacant store and attacked him. Investigators say Yazan Omar held Mezlini while his brother wrapped Mezlini’s head and body with duct tape.

Mezlini was found unconscious on Sept. 8. An autopsy determined he died of asphyxia by strangulation and smothering.

It’s unclear if the brothers have lawyers who could comment.

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Information from: The Times-Picayune, http://www.nola.com