Iranian man charged after brutal WA stabbing attack leaves cancer patient dead and her daughter critically wounded

An Iranian-born man has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder after a vicious knife attack in Kirkland, Washington, that left a 78-year-old woman who was battling cancer dead and her daughter critically wounded. Prosecutors allege the defendant, Fardin Salehiyan, 60, attacked them in an attempt to silence his victim after she reported him for sexual assault just hours earlier.

According to charging documents, Kirkland police were called to the Kirkland Heights Apartments around 11:08 pm on September 4, 2025. Responding officers discovered Mahshid Maalhaghfard, 54, and her mother, Shamsi Rahimi Haghighi, 78, lying in pools of blood near the entryway of their apartment. Both had been stabbed multiple times.

Mahshid, 54, identified her attacker as “Fardin” before being rushed to Harborview Medical Center. Her mother, Shamsi, 78, succumbed to her injuries the following day. A medical examiner later confirmed she suffered 17 stab wounds.

Mahshid survived but sustained more than 40 stab wounds in what prosecutors describe as an effort by Salehiyan to kill her and eliminate witnesses.

Court records obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI reveal that Mahshid had previously reported Salehiyan for domestic violence and, more recently, alleged that he sexually assaulted her in Snohomish County. On September 4, just hours before the attack, a Snohomish detective contacted Salehiyan to inform him of the ongoing sexual assault investigation. Prosecutors argue the stabbing spree was retaliation for her cooperation with law enforcement.

Records show a long history of threats. In July 2025, Mahshid told police that Salehiyan, then her roommate, was threatening to expose private photos and messages. She later alleged that he had raped her at his Snohomish apartment. On September 4, after being contacted by investigators, Salehiyan allegedly stormed into Mahshid’s Kirkland bedroom with a knife and said, “You can’t call the police. You ruined my life because you called the police,” before stabbing her repeatedly.

When Shamsi tried to intervene, she became his second target. A neighbor later reported seeing Salehiyan standing at the apartment door that night. Detectives later found him in Snohomish with blood on his clothes and vehicle. His car door handle was also smeared with blood. Inside the crime scene, police discovered two broken knife blades and two handles, evidence of the extreme violence used.

Mahshid had immigrated from Iran a few years earlier, staying with Mahshid's brother in the Seattle area before moving into an apartment connected to Salehiyan. Family members told investigators that Mahshid and Salehiyan were not in a romantic relationship but lived as roommates.

Shamsi, Mahshid’s mother, had traveled from Iran to the United States after being diagnosed with cancer, seeking better medical care. Relatives said she grew increasingly fearful of Salehiyan, describing him as unstable and dangerous. In fact, she repeatedly told her son she wanted to return to Iran because she no longer felt safe living near him.

King County Prosecutors are seeking $10 million bail, citing the brutality of the attack, the risk of flight, and the likelihood that Salehiyan would attempt to finish the job if released. Prosecutors note that the suspect has no prior criminal history, but the “extreme violence” of the incident and the circumstances surrounding the sexual assault investigation suggest he poses an ongoing threat. If convicted, Salehiyan faces life in prison.