HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 34-year-old man is facing a felony charge after deputies responding to a welfare check allegedly found his mother’s body hidden inside a duffel bag at their west Harris County home.
Arman Alexander Malik was arrested after being released from a hospital, where he had been taken following his detention at the home. He is charged with tampering with physical evidence involving a human corpse in connection with the death of his mother, Dyna Sorto de Malik.
Authorities have not determined how Dyna Malik died. Her cause and manner of death are expected to be established through an autopsy.
The investigation began Sept. 1 after family members became concerned because they had been unable to reach Dyna Malik for several days. She was reportedly not answering calls or text messages, prompting relatives to request a welfare check at the home on Valley Knoll Drive.
When deputies arrived, they forced their way inside and found Malik asleep in one of the bedrooms, according to court records.
During the search, deputies noticed an odor consistent with a decomposing body coming from another bedroom. Investigators then found a large duffel bag covered with sheets that appeared to have blood on them.
When the bag was opened, deputies reported seeing what appeared to be human remains inside. The body was later identified as Dyna Malik, who was in her 70s.
Investigators also documented blood beneath the bag and what appeared to be blood spatter on a nearby dresser. The bag had reportedly been covered with bloody sheets and a rug.
Investigators found cameras altered inside the home
The investigation also focused on the home’s security cameras.
According to court documents, several cameras appeared to have been deliberately disabled or repositioned. Investigators reported that some indoor cameras had been turned off, while an exterior camera had been moved so that it no longer covered its normal area.
Another camera was reportedly knocked onto its side and partially blocked from view.
Detectives believe the changes may have prevented investigators from obtaining potentially important video evidence about what happened inside the home.
Dyna Malik’s cellphone was also recovered from the residence. Investigators said a family member provided a possible passcode, but the phone immediately entered a one-hour security lock after the code was entered.
That led investigators to believe there had been previous unsuccessful attempts to access the device.
Malik was taken to hospital after detention
Deputies detained Malik at the residence. Investigators said he appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance and later became unresponsive while in police custody.
He was transported to a hospital for treatment and was later released. Authorities arrested him on the evidence-tampering charge after his release.
Investigators also reported seeing what appeared to be dried blood beneath his fingernails and scratches on his hands, according to court documents.
Malik is not currently charged with causing his mother’s death. The evidence-tampering case is separate from the unanswered question of how Dyna Malik died.
Investigation remains active
The circumstances surrounding Dyna Malik’s death remain under investigation, and authorities have not publicly established a cause of death.
Malik is scheduled for a court appearance Tuesday, Sept. 8. Additional charges remain possible as investigators continue examining the evidence collected from the home.
The case has drawn attention in the neighborhood, where residents said the mother and son had recently been living together. One neighbor described Dyna Malik as an active woman who regularly worked outside around the property.
Malik is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
