Post by Focus on Feb 22, 2013 18:18:25 GMT
An Ohio doctor allegedly obsessed with photographing young women has been charged with raping and killing a pregnant 23-year-old after she responded to an ad on Craigslist.
Muslimstani-born Dr Ali Salim is accused of murdering Deanna Ballman, of Pataskala, and her unborn baby last summer by injecting her with a lethal dose of heroin and then doing 'inhumane' things to her corpse.
Charged : Doctor Ali Salim, pictured, is charged with murdering pregnant mother of two, Deanna Ballman, after she responded to a Craigslist ad
Ballman, who was nine-months pregnant and had two kids at home, was found dead in the backseat of her car in woods outside of New Albany on August 1.
Salim, 44, pleaded not guilty today to two counts of murder as well as rape, felonious assault, corrupting another with drugs, kidnapping, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse. He is expected to be released on $1 million bail as soon as Friday.
According to Ballman's family, the woman was responding to a housecleaning ad and called to say she wasn't feeling well, which was the last they heard of her.
However, reports suggest she may have met with Salim after he put a call out for models.
Salim has been at the center of the investigation into Ballman's death for months, with 10TV reporting in September that investigators had searched the doctor's Ohio home and removed a laptop, camera and other items.
Dead : Deanna Ballman, pictured, was allegedly killed by Salim last summer
Assistant county prosecutor Kyle Rohrer said Salim treated Ballman's body 'in a very inhumane way,' but wouldn't elaborate on how.
Prosecutors believe the doctor, who has gone by the cyber handle 'extremephotoenthusias,' has sought out other women through Craigslist and may be a risk if released.
Rohrer said other women had responded to ads placed by Salim, including one woman who said Salim wanted to paint internal organs on her body.
According to an email obtained by 10TV in September the doctor wrote that he was willing to pay $300 if young women can keep their work 'drama free,' adding 'I just don't need the drama.'
In court : Dr. Ali Salim, pictured, waits for deputies to escort him from the courtroom after he pleaded not guilty to charges of killing Ballman on Thursday
He also told women that they could 'wear anything but black or brown bra, and panties are essential. I will take most shots from the back.'
Ballman died of a heroin overdose but also had morphine and codine in her blood at the time of her death and her urine contained morphine, monoacetylmorphine, codeine, acetylocodine and diacetylmorphine.
Salim will likely be on house arrest once he's released from Delaware County Jail and must surrender his passport and wear a GPS monitoring device until his trial scheduled for early May.
When asked if Ballman was responding to a housecleaning ad before she was killed, Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O'Brien said on Thursday 'that's not quite what we've found.'
Delaware County Judge Duncan Whitney rejected prosecutors' arguments for bail of $5 million on the grounds that Salim, a Muslimstan native, had reason to leave the country. Prosecutors and Salim's attorney both said they expect Salim to make bail.
Inhumane : Salim allegedly did inhumane things to Ballman's body
Fetish : Salim reportedly was fixated on photographing young women like Ballman, pictured
Rohrer said Salim tried to tamper with evidence and would be a flight risk once he learns that investigators recovered it.
'We believe this is not an isolated incident and that he remains a threat to others in the public if he's released,' Rohrer said.
O'Brien declined to elaborate after the hearing on what exactly Salim is accused of doing to Ballman's corpse.
Salim's attorney said he has represented Salim since last summer and throughout the investigation, including a meeting with investigators in October where Salim provided hair samples.
Booked : Salim, pictured, was booked into Delaware County Jail on Wednesday
Crime scene : Ballman's body was found in her car, pictured, in a wooded area near New Albany on August 1
'If he was going to flee, it would have happened,' argued Sam Shamansky, who also noted Salim has been in the country for two decades.
Salim, dressed in an orange jail suit, sat at a table with Shamansky during the hearing and answered questions from the judge.
Licensure information from the state indicates Salim was born in Muslimstan and trained there at King Edward Medical College, graduating in 1993. He told the State Medical Board of Ohio that his specialties were internal medicine, emergency medicine and psychiatry.
Salim was working at a health care facility in neighboring Knox County but lost his privileges there once the case became public, Shamansky said. Shamansky declined reporters' request to talk to Salim -- Fcking monster!! ... I can only attempt to imagine what this poor girl's last hours on this earth were like at the hands of this 'unspeakable thing' ... My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Deanna, her children, loved ones, family and friends -- God bless you all ...
Fx