Going West: True Crime – Episode 537: The Murder of Nada Huranieh

Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Release Date: September 12, 2025
Case: Nada Huranieh (Farmington Hills, Michigan, 2017)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Daphne and Heath unravel the chilling murder of Nada Huranieh, a 35-year-old mother found dead outside her affluent Michigan home in 2017. What initially appeared to be a tragic cleaning accident quickly evolved into a disturbing mystery involving domestic abuse, complex family dynamics, and a twist unseen in any other case the hosts have covered. Through detailed examination of the evidence, including shocking home surveillance footage, they trace how the investigation turned inward—not toward a stranger, but to a shocking perpetrator within the family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: The Huranieh Family and "The Dream Life"

• Nada's Early Life: Born in Syria, Nada met and married Basel Altan Tawi at 17 (he was 29) before moving to Michigan, USA.
• Family & Success: The couple had three children—Muhammad, Aya, and Sidra—and lived in a 10,000 sq. ft. estate in affluent Farmington Hills. Basel owned a successful urgent care clinic.
• Cracks Beneath the Surface: Despite outward appearances, the family's life unraveled due to cultural differences, strained marriage, and Basel's controlling behavior.

2. The Marriage's Collapse and Domestic Abuse

• Violence & Divorce: In 2016, a violent argument on Valentine's Day led to Basel assaulting Nada, witnessed by their daughter. He was arrested and pled guilty to spousal abuse (06:54).
  • Heath (06:54): "It was February 14th ... and an argument in the home exploded into a violent episode."
• Legal Fallout: Basel moved out, was restrained from the home, and only allowed supervised visits.

3. Control, Career Ruin, and Family Tension

• Finding Herself: Nada, now independent, shed some traditions, becoming a personal trainer—causing further friction with Basel, who felt their kids were becoming "too Americanized" (09:48).
• Basel’s Fraud Charges: Basel was exposed for large-scale Medicaid and health insurance fraud, pleaded guilty, lost his medical license, and was ordered to pay $278,000 restitution (11:52).
  • Daphne (12:53): "He is being exposed left and right."

4. The Morning of the “Accident” (August 21, 2017)

• Discovery: Nada's daughter Aya, age 14, found her mother’s body outside below a guest room window. A stepladder and cleaning supplies were nearby, suggesting an accidental fall (17:17).
• Initial Scene: Surveillance cameras, the isolated setting, and early morning time all painted a puzzling picture for first responders and detectives.

5. Early Investigation & Suspicion

• Basel’s Alibi: Despite suspicion due to his history, Basel's court-ordered ankle tether showed he was nowhere near the house that morning (23:47).
• Autopsy Bombshell: Nada's injuries were not severe enough for a 29-ft fall. The cause of death was asphyxia (smothering), not blunt force trauma—a major red flag (25:20).
• CCTV Revelation: Surveillance footage captured not just Nada’s fall, but the shadow of a figure lingering in the lit guest room window immediately after her body dropped, indicating someone else was there (26:50).
  • Daphne (27:45): "You see the lifeless body being disposed over the windowsill… the footage shows the shadow in the guest room moving the ladder near the window… proving to police that someone had murdered Nada and staged the scene."

6. Suspect Within: Muhammad Altan Tawi, the Teenage Son

• Family Dynamics: Muhammad had resented Nada, sided with Basel, and began acting as an informant for his father, even sending photos of the house and its contents (34:36; 46:57).
• Surveillance & Interrogation:
  • Muhammad's attempts at CPR were "half-hearted and lame" (Court testimony, 43:03).
  • During questioning, Muhammad shifted his story: initially denying being present, then admitting he handed Nada window cleaner and was holding the ladder, finally claiming she simply fell (39:14).
  • His explanations and demeanor were increasingly emotionless and inconsistent:
    • Daphne (39:50): "She stood on it, she leaned over, I came over, she fell. I looked over, and that's it."
    • Heath (39:50): "Wow, that seems very… just right to the point, you know, there's almost like no emotion."
  • He then bizarrely claimed he may have been dreaming and went back to sleep after witnessing the fall (41:47).

7. The Digital Trail: Communication with Basel

• Phone Records: Muhammad’s phone showed nearly 50 calls to Basel (saved in his contacts as “Love”) starting at 4:30 a.m. on the day of Nada’s death, many before her body was found (44:13; 45:01).
• The Window Photo: Muhammad had sent Basel a photo of the specific window weeks prior to the murder—interpreted as possibly scouting the location for the crime (46:25).
  • Daphne (46:25): "That's Muhammad saying, we could do it here."
• Text Evidence: Nada had confided to Muhammad about "criminal things that will send your dad to prison if I said anything," pointing to further hidden tensions and threats about the upcoming divorce deposition (47:29).

8. The Trial and Aftermath

• Arrest & Charge: Muhammad, 16, was arrested and tried as an adult, though the trial was delayed until 2022 due to legal processes and COVID (42:55).
• Incriminating Evidence: Surveillance footage, testimony about half-hearted CPR, phone and text records, and the photo of the window all pointed to Muhammad’s involvement.
• Prosecution's Theory: Motive centered on broken family loyalty and an imminent deposition where Nada planned to reveal more about Basel, possibly jeopardizing Muhammad’s chance to live with his father (48:28).
• Aya’s Testimony: Daughter Aya, who remained loyal to her mother, bravely testified about the household’s escalating toxicity:
  • Aya (read by Daphne, 50:21): "My brother sided with my dad… He kind of just saw the divorce as a way of my mom trying to take my father's money… He said that my father was still the man of the house, and we should still be following what he was saying."
• Basel’s Courtroom Behavior: During his victim impact statement, Basel tried to praise his son rather than honoring Nada; the judge cut him off and reminded him of the statement’s purpose (51:22).
• Verdict: Muhammad was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to 35–60 years in prison. Basel was never charged for involvement due to lack of evidence (54:44).
• Aftermath for Aya and Sidra: Aya cut all ties with her father, entered foster care by choice, and plans to attend law school to help children in similar situations.
  • Aya (paraphrased by Daphne, 53:09): "You are absolutely nothing to me. Get the fuck out."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the case's uniqueness:
  • Daphne (01:47): "There is an element of this case that is so creepy and unnerving… like a movie element. It's so bizarre."
• On fallout for Basel:
  • Daphne (12:53): "He is being exposed left and right."
• On the shocking CCTV evidence:
  • Daphne (27:45): "You see the lifeless body being disposed over the windowsill… the footage shows the shadow in the guest room moving the ladder near the window…"
• On Muhammad's attitude:
  • Heath (39:50): "Wow, that seems very… just right to the point, you know, there's almost like no emotion in that response."
• Aya confronting Basel in court:
  • Daphne (53:09): "You are absolutely nothing to me. Get the fuck out."

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:12 | Nada’s life, marriage to Basel, and family background | | 06:54 | Valentine's Day incident: domestic violence, Basel’s arrest | | 09:02 | Divorce, child custody, Nada's newfound independence | | 11:52 | Basel’s exposure for healthcare fraud | | 13:24 | The morning of Nada's death and discovery of her body | | 17:17 | Aya discovers an open window, cleaning supplies, and her mother | | 23:47 | Basel's alibi (ankle tether), autopsy results (asphyxiation) | | 26:50 | Surveillance footage reveals shadow in guest room | | 32:56 | Police review family dynamics, surveillance reveals everything | | 36:02 | Interrogation of Muhammad, shifting and inconsistent stories | | 39:50 | Muhammad’s emotionless confession ("I came over, she fell...") | | 41:47 | Muhammad’s claim: thought he was "dreaming or whatever" | | 44:13 | Trial evidence: phone call records, communication with Basel | | 46:25 | The window photo: possible premeditation | | 50:21 | Aya’s court testimony highlights family rift | | 51:22 | Basel’s victim statement and judge interference | | 52:44 | Crime scene trajectory analysis | | 53:09 | Verdict, sentencing, family aftermath | | 54:07 | Host reflections, justice and the chilling aftermath |

Tone and Language

The hosts maintain a conversational but deeply empathetic tone, emphasizing the emotional toll on the victims’ children and expressing their horror and sadness at the twisted, manipulative family dynamics. They are unflinching about the disturbing twists, especially the role of Muhammad—just 16 at the time—and the likely manipulation by his father, Basel, who escapes legal consequences but loses all relationships with his surviving children.

Conclusion

This episode of Going West offers a harrowing and in-depth look at the murder of Nada Huranieh, blending methodical breakdown of evidence with sensitive exploration of the family's unraveling. It stands out for its unsettling surveillance revelations and the haunting picture it paints of familial manipulation, resentment, and loss—leaving listeners questioning justice, and feeling for the survivors caught in its wake.