Apex, NC – The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in connection with the death of 34-year-old Hadeel Ghadhanfer Hikmat, 34, a resident of 736 Treviso Lane, Apex, whose body was found in Jordan Lake in August.
Omar Matthew Ibrahim Drabick, 34, of 736 Treviso Lane, Apex was arrested Tuesday morning, September 19, charged with first degree murder and concealment of an unnatural death.
Omar Drabick, Ms. Hikmat’s husband, is being held without bond in the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center. Currently, his next court date is scheduled for September 25.
On Tuesday, August 29, at approximately 2:30 p.m., a boater at Jordan Lake contacted the Sheriff’s Office after discovering a body in the vicinity of Farrington Point Boat Ramp, 605 Farrington Point Road. Following an extensive investigation, the victim was identified as Ms. Hikmat through fingerprint analysis. Her death was determined to be neither accidental nor self-inflicted.
Working in collaboration with the Apex and Raleigh police departments, the Chatham County Sheriff Office executed search warrants on Friday, September 8, at two locations in Wake County. These searches took place at 736 Treviso Lane in Apex and 1916 Wescott Drive in Raleigh, both known to have been frequented by Ms. Hikmat.
This investigation saw the invaluable cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Apex Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, N.C. State University Police, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department, and the Sanford Police Department.
During the investigation, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office sought assistance from the public in identifying Ms. Hikmat, leading to contact with several other families who are also grappling with the disappearance of their loved ones in unrelated cases.
Sheriff Mike Roberson emphasized the commitment of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office to pursuing justice for Ms. Hikmat’s family, as well as his empathetic support extended to the other families who reached out concerning their missing loved ones.
“Our thoughts and efforts are with Ms. Hikmat’s family, and the other families who contacted us about their missing loved ones,” said Sheriff Mike Roberson. “These kinds of incidents are a reminder of the tragedy of domestic violence. It’s a scourge that affects far too many lives and causes immeasurable pain and suffering. We urge anyone who may be in an abusive relationship to reach out for help and support.”