Evo owner killed trying to sell his car.
This is so serious. The same thing happened to me only obviously I made it out alive. I was attempting to sell my Evo, and I took two males (about 200 lb. each) for a test drive alone on the weekend. One male said he was very interested in my car and had money from the military because he just arrived back from Iraq.
I took them to a spot near my office and got out to adjust the dampers and then I handed over the keys to the "interested driver." At that moment, the friend of the driver pulled a knife on me from the back seat while I was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The guys were planning on taking me and the car to a location, probably killing me, and then dumping my body. However, these guys seemed very amateur, with an old kitchen knife that they obviously grabbed from their kitchen drawer, and they seemed like the didn't really want to hurt me (at least not in a somewhat populated location like that). After they put me into the back seat at knife point and were about to zip tie my hands and feet together, I made a break for the door. I got outside of the car, and was tackeld to the ground.
Luckilly, I kicked the knife way from the friend and they couldn't find it. I was able to struggle away for a second time and run while screaming for help. The "buyer" ran after me and tackled me again, while the friend went to try to start my car to just get away. At a certain point the "buyer" left me, ran to the car and they both escaped with my Evo.
Afraid that they would easily get caught trying to escape from town with my car, with a huge wing, and a loud exhaust, they actually dropped my car off where they parked to meet me, took there car (probably stolen), and left. My evo was sitting in the parking lot where I met the attackers without a scratch on it, just a stolen iPod.
I was lucky. I could have died that day, just like the unfortunate man in the OP.
Please, if you are selling your Evo, DO NOT GO ON TEST DRIVES ALONE. Also...
1) Always get a copy of the potential buyer's driver's license before you let them touch the car
2) Make sure you have a valid phone number of their's
3) Only take the car to heavily populated areas when you go on test drives
I will probably write a more detailed account of what happened to me in a unique thread to help prevent this from happening to anyone else.
I took them to a spot near my office and got out to adjust the dampers and then I handed over the keys to the "interested driver." At that moment, the friend of the driver pulled a knife on me from the back seat while I was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The guys were planning on taking me and the car to a location, probably killing me, and then dumping my body. However, these guys seemed very amateur, with an old kitchen knife that they obviously grabbed from their kitchen drawer, and they seemed like the didn't really want to hurt me (at least not in a somewhat populated location like that). After they put me into the back seat at knife point and were about to zip tie my hands and feet together, I made a break for the door. I got outside of the car, and was tackeld to the ground.
Luckilly, I kicked the knife way from the friend and they couldn't find it. I was able to struggle away for a second time and run while screaming for help. The "buyer" ran after me and tackled me again, while the friend went to try to start my car to just get away. At a certain point the "buyer" left me, ran to the car and they both escaped with my Evo.
Afraid that they would easily get caught trying to escape from town with my car, with a huge wing, and a loud exhaust, they actually dropped my car off where they parked to meet me, took there car (probably stolen), and left. My evo was sitting in the parking lot where I met the attackers without a scratch on it, just a stolen iPod.
I was lucky. I could have died that day, just like the unfortunate man in the OP.
Please, if you are selling your Evo, DO NOT GO ON TEST DRIVES ALONE. Also...
1) Always get a copy of the potential buyer's driver's license before you let them touch the car
2) Make sure you have a valid phone number of their's
3) Only take the car to heavily populated areas when you go on test drives
I will probably write a more detailed account of what happened to me in a unique thread to help prevent this from happening to anyone else.
Evolving Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 180
Likes: 1
From: Seattle, Wa (from Madison, Wi)
The scary thing is that I actually live on the same block as him. And though I've never meet him, My heart goes out to his family.
Here was some more information regarding this including his and his Girl's myspace.
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/i...n;topic=4105.0
This is Tammi lafaves myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=317097979
this is what Travis Zoellick looks like..
(hes the one who killed himself before police could get him)
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=169188895
Travis has quite a few things on wisconsin circuit court..
2nd Degree Sexual Assault of Child is one of them.. along with battery ect..
I knew Haroon pretty well.. my condolences go out to his family. This is such a tragic event.. he was a great guy and would never hurt a fly. As the details of this story keep coming out here in Milwaukee it just gets worse and worse. The fact that anyone would kill any person over something as stupid as a car is truly sickening. I was with Haroon when he bought this Evo and its just crazy to think that is what eventually lead to his death. I really hope people learn from this event and take serious precautions when selling their doing transactions with strangers. Everyone should pray for Haroon and his family.
Based on this report, it sounds my carjackers were planning to do the same thing as Haroon's. Haroon's killers had no regard for human life.
Details of grisly murder of Milwaukee student emerge
By Colleen Kottke • The Reporter • October 6, 2008
JUNEAU — In his last moments, a Milwaukee student pleaded for his life, telling his captors he had a family and he wouldn’t tell anyone about the theft of his car, a court record reveals.
But Haroon Khan’s pleas were in vain and he was brutally stabbed near Watertown last week, his body dumped in a shallow grave by a man who wanted his 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution, according to a complaint.
That man, 20-year-old Travis Zoellick of Watertown, shot himself while police were conducting surveillance on his house on Oct. 3, police say.
Zoellick’s girlfriend, Tammy LaFave, 21, of Delafield, is expected to be charged today (Tuesday) with party to a crime of first-degree homicide and kidnapping.
One of Zoellick’s friends, Zachary Zaborek, was charged Monday in Dodge County Circuit Court with aiding a felon in connection with the 31-year-old Khan’s death. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine. No one from the victim’s family was present in the courtroom.
Zoellick had told Zaborek of his plans to steal a car and kill the owner if necessary, according to court records.
On Saturday, Zaborek was arrested after two people came forward and told police a friend had admitted to killing a man.
Dodge County District Attorney Bill Bedker asked for a $100,000 cash bond, citing that Zaborek valued his friendship with a cold-hearted, calculated killer more than doing what was right — coming forward with information to police.
“Within hours of (Khan’s) homicide, Zoellick confided to this young man what he had done, and still he did nothing,” Bedker told Court Commissioner Steven Seim. “What he did do was tell Zoellick to get rid of the knife, dispose of (Khan’s) personal items and to leave and never come back.”
Seim ordered a $25,000 cash bond. Zaborek also is not allowed to leave the state and must check in daily with Watertown police.
Grizzly murder
Just hours after a statewide missing persons teletype was issued, two friends of Zoellick’s came forward to Watertown police to report that Zoellick had admitted to stealing a car and killing the owner and burying him somewhere near the storage units located on the north side of Watertown, according to the criminal complaint.
While in custody, Zaborek told police that a week prior to Khan’s death, Zoellick told Zaborek he was thinking about driving to Chicago to steal a Mitsubishi Lancer “Evo” Evolution sports car and possibly killing the owner to accomplish his goal. When asked to come along, Zaborek refused and told Zoellick he was being “stupid,” according to the criminal complaint.
On Oct. 1, Zaborek received a call from Zoellick to come check out the “Evo” he had parked at his parent’s storage shed. After a short ride in the vehicle — which Zaborek told police he knew was stolen — Zoellick admitted that he had “stabbed some guy,” according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick then showed Zaborek a knife, partially wrapped in a red shirt, and a white plastic bag filled with Khan’s navigation system and cell phone. Zaborek told Zoellick to get rid of the car, the personal belongings and to never come back, according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick later told Zaborek that he and his girlfriend, Tammy LaFave, 21, of Delafield, drove to Milwaukee to meet Khan. Zoellick allegedly pulled a gun on Khan while LaFave helped tied the Milwaukee man’s hands and place duct tape over his eyes before driving back to the Watertown area, according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick told Zaborek that Khan had pleaded for his life, promising not to tell anyone about the theft and that he had a family. Zoellick then relayed in graphic detail how he had stabbed Khan several times in a wooded area “off the highway” before burying him in a shallow grave behind his parents’ storage facility off Boulder Road. Police were able to recover Khan’s body which was positively identified by a family member, according to the criminal complaint.
As news of Khan’s disappearance was broadcast by the media, Zoellick began to panic, asking Zaborek to check near the storage units to see “if any cops were around.” During a subsequent conversation, Zoellick said that he “shouldn’t have done it” and that he would “never go to jail.” Zaborek again told Zoellick to “leave and never look back,” according to the criminal complaint.
At about 11:07 p.m. on Oct. 3, members of the Watertown Police Department and Milwaukee Police Department were conducting surveillance on the Zoellick home when Travis Zoellick stepped outside. Upon seeing police, Zoellick went inside the home and ran into an upstairs bedroom where he shot himself in the head while his girlfriend watched, according to a press release from the Watertown Police Department.
Zoellick was transported to Watertown Hospital and later flown by MedFlight to University Hospital and Clinics where he died the next day, said Watertown Police Chief Tim Roets.
“(Zaborek) obviously valued his friendship with Zoellick as more important than sharing information with law enforcement,” Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls said. “Most of us have kids this age. And as a parent we have to let our kids know that when a friend crosses the line like this, they cannot put themselves in a position like this to protect their friend, especially a murderer. Look where his decision put him today.”
By Colleen Kottke • The Reporter • October 6, 2008
JUNEAU — In his last moments, a Milwaukee student pleaded for his life, telling his captors he had a family and he wouldn’t tell anyone about the theft of his car, a court record reveals.
But Haroon Khan’s pleas were in vain and he was brutally stabbed near Watertown last week, his body dumped in a shallow grave by a man who wanted his 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution, according to a complaint.
That man, 20-year-old Travis Zoellick of Watertown, shot himself while police were conducting surveillance on his house on Oct. 3, police say.
Zoellick’s girlfriend, Tammy LaFave, 21, of Delafield, is expected to be charged today (Tuesday) with party to a crime of first-degree homicide and kidnapping.
One of Zoellick’s friends, Zachary Zaborek, was charged Monday in Dodge County Circuit Court with aiding a felon in connection with the 31-year-old Khan’s death. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine. No one from the victim’s family was present in the courtroom.
Zoellick had told Zaborek of his plans to steal a car and kill the owner if necessary, according to court records.
On Saturday, Zaborek was arrested after two people came forward and told police a friend had admitted to killing a man.
Dodge County District Attorney Bill Bedker asked for a $100,000 cash bond, citing that Zaborek valued his friendship with a cold-hearted, calculated killer more than doing what was right — coming forward with information to police.
“Within hours of (Khan’s) homicide, Zoellick confided to this young man what he had done, and still he did nothing,” Bedker told Court Commissioner Steven Seim. “What he did do was tell Zoellick to get rid of the knife, dispose of (Khan’s) personal items and to leave and never come back.”
Seim ordered a $25,000 cash bond. Zaborek also is not allowed to leave the state and must check in daily with Watertown police.
Grizzly murder
Just hours after a statewide missing persons teletype was issued, two friends of Zoellick’s came forward to Watertown police to report that Zoellick had admitted to stealing a car and killing the owner and burying him somewhere near the storage units located on the north side of Watertown, according to the criminal complaint.
While in custody, Zaborek told police that a week prior to Khan’s death, Zoellick told Zaborek he was thinking about driving to Chicago to steal a Mitsubishi Lancer “Evo” Evolution sports car and possibly killing the owner to accomplish his goal. When asked to come along, Zaborek refused and told Zoellick he was being “stupid,” according to the criminal complaint.
On Oct. 1, Zaborek received a call from Zoellick to come check out the “Evo” he had parked at his parent’s storage shed. After a short ride in the vehicle — which Zaborek told police he knew was stolen — Zoellick admitted that he had “stabbed some guy,” according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick then showed Zaborek a knife, partially wrapped in a red shirt, and a white plastic bag filled with Khan’s navigation system and cell phone. Zaborek told Zoellick to get rid of the car, the personal belongings and to never come back, according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick later told Zaborek that he and his girlfriend, Tammy LaFave, 21, of Delafield, drove to Milwaukee to meet Khan. Zoellick allegedly pulled a gun on Khan while LaFave helped tied the Milwaukee man’s hands and place duct tape over his eyes before driving back to the Watertown area, according to the criminal complaint.
Zoellick told Zaborek that Khan had pleaded for his life, promising not to tell anyone about the theft and that he had a family. Zoellick then relayed in graphic detail how he had stabbed Khan several times in a wooded area “off the highway” before burying him in a shallow grave behind his parents’ storage facility off Boulder Road. Police were able to recover Khan’s body which was positively identified by a family member, according to the criminal complaint.
As news of Khan’s disappearance was broadcast by the media, Zoellick began to panic, asking Zaborek to check near the storage units to see “if any cops were around.” During a subsequent conversation, Zoellick said that he “shouldn’t have done it” and that he would “never go to jail.” Zaborek again told Zoellick to “leave and never look back,” according to the criminal complaint.
At about 11:07 p.m. on Oct. 3, members of the Watertown Police Department and Milwaukee Police Department were conducting surveillance on the Zoellick home when Travis Zoellick stepped outside. Upon seeing police, Zoellick went inside the home and ran into an upstairs bedroom where he shot himself in the head while his girlfriend watched, according to a press release from the Watertown Police Department.
Zoellick was transported to Watertown Hospital and later flown by MedFlight to University Hospital and Clinics where he died the next day, said Watertown Police Chief Tim Roets.
“(Zaborek) obviously valued his friendship with Zoellick as more important than sharing information with law enforcement,” Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls said. “Most of us have kids this age. And as a parent we have to let our kids know that when a friend crosses the line like this, they cannot put themselves in a position like this to protect their friend, especially a murderer. Look where his decision put him today.”
Look at what his accomplice/girlfriend said...
A 21-year-old Delafield woman was charged today with helping a man she met a few weeks ago on MySpace kidnap and kill University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Haroon Khan so that the man could steal Kahn's car.
Tammi L. LaFave told police she was afraid that if she did not help Travis Zoellick carry out the crimes, then Zoellick would break up with her, according to complaint that tells a nightmarish account of LaFave's cooperation.
According to the complaint:
LaFave told police she met Zoellick on the MySpace social Web site about two weeks before the homicide.
The two corresponded and began dating. Zoellick, of Watertown, was obsessed with obtaining a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. On Oct. 1, Zoellick told LaFave he had located one for sale in Milwaukee.
The two drove from Watertown to Milwaukee in Zoellick's Saab that day. Along the way, Zoellick told LaFave that he was going to take the car. Zoellick had with him a supply of zip ties. A gun was tucked in Zoellick's left pocket, LaFave told police.
LaFave dropped Zoellick off at Khan's residence near the UW-Milwaukee campus. She then drove to E. Locust St. and N. Humboldt Ave. A few minutes later, Zoellick, driving the Mitsubishi and with Kahn as his passenger, pulled up.
Zoellick leaned into her car and, according to the complaint, said: "The guy said you should go for a ride."
When LaFave agreed, Zoellick told her: "Grab the zip ties."
According to the complaint, LaFave told police "she was scared for herself and the guy's life and felt that she couldn't say no..."
"She felt that if she didn't participate that Travis Zoellick might leave her," the complaint says.
LaFave was in the back seat when Zoellick pulled out a gun and pointed it at Khan.
"Mr. Khan then looked at Ms. LaFave, and Ms. LaFave put her head down."
She then handed Zoellick the zip ties so he could bind Khan's hands.
Zoellick drove the Mitsubishi and LaFave the other car to a storage facility just north of Watertown.
LaFave talked to her mother on her cell phone shortly before Zoellick walked Khan into the woods to kill him. She told police she does not know why she didn't tell her mother what was going on. Her mother repeatedly tried to call back. LaFave would not pick up.
Zoellick returned about 20 minutes later. He was holding a knife with an 8-inch blade. Both Zoellick and the knife were smeared with blood.
LaFave told police that Zoellick insisted she inspect Khan's body. Kahn, she said, was on his back, face up. He was covered with blood. His hands were still bound with zip ties.
Zoellick parked the car in a storage shed, then the couple drove to his mother's house. It was about 10:30 p.m. Zoellick, his mother and LaFave drove to a nearby Wal-Mart and went shopping.
Zoellick shot himself to death Friday night.
On Saturday, police found Khan's body.
A friend of Zoellick's whom police say knew about the murder has been charged in Dodge County with aiding a felon.
LaFave is charged with felony murder. She faces up to 55 years in prison.
A 21-year-old Delafield woman was charged today with helping a man she met a few weeks ago on MySpace kidnap and kill University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Haroon Khan so that the man could steal Kahn's car.
Tammi L. LaFave told police she was afraid that if she did not help Travis Zoellick carry out the crimes, then Zoellick would break up with her, according to complaint that tells a nightmarish account of LaFave's cooperation.
According to the complaint:
LaFave told police she met Zoellick on the MySpace social Web site about two weeks before the homicide.
The two corresponded and began dating. Zoellick, of Watertown, was obsessed with obtaining a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. On Oct. 1, Zoellick told LaFave he had located one for sale in Milwaukee.
The two drove from Watertown to Milwaukee in Zoellick's Saab that day. Along the way, Zoellick told LaFave that he was going to take the car. Zoellick had with him a supply of zip ties. A gun was tucked in Zoellick's left pocket, LaFave told police.
LaFave dropped Zoellick off at Khan's residence near the UW-Milwaukee campus. She then drove to E. Locust St. and N. Humboldt Ave. A few minutes later, Zoellick, driving the Mitsubishi and with Kahn as his passenger, pulled up.
Zoellick leaned into her car and, according to the complaint, said: "The guy said you should go for a ride."
When LaFave agreed, Zoellick told her: "Grab the zip ties."
According to the complaint, LaFave told police "she was scared for herself and the guy's life and felt that she couldn't say no..."
"She felt that if she didn't participate that Travis Zoellick might leave her," the complaint says.
LaFave was in the back seat when Zoellick pulled out a gun and pointed it at Khan.
"Mr. Khan then looked at Ms. LaFave, and Ms. LaFave put her head down."
She then handed Zoellick the zip ties so he could bind Khan's hands.
Zoellick drove the Mitsubishi and LaFave the other car to a storage facility just north of Watertown.
LaFave talked to her mother on her cell phone shortly before Zoellick walked Khan into the woods to kill him. She told police she does not know why she didn't tell her mother what was going on. Her mother repeatedly tried to call back. LaFave would not pick up.
Zoellick returned about 20 minutes later. He was holding a knife with an 8-inch blade. Both Zoellick and the knife were smeared with blood.
LaFave told police that Zoellick insisted she inspect Khan's body. Kahn, she said, was on his back, face up. He was covered with blood. His hands were still bound with zip ties.
Zoellick parked the car in a storage shed, then the couple drove to his mother's house. It was about 10:30 p.m. Zoellick, his mother and LaFave drove to a nearby Wal-Mart and went shopping.
Zoellick shot himself to death Friday night.
On Saturday, police found Khan's body.
A friend of Zoellick's whom police say knew about the murder has been charged in Dodge County with aiding a felon.
LaFave is charged with felony murder. She faces up to 55 years in prison.
teamdomokun - that is unbelievable. To let another person die because you are afraid of getting dumped.
Recounting what I went through, the main difference is that my attackers threatened me at knife point instead of gun point. They tried to use large zip ties to bind me as well but that is when I escaped. I'm still haunted by thinking about what would have happened if I didn't escape.
It breaks my heart to hear what really happened to Haroon, especially in his final moments.
Recounting what I went through, the main difference is that my attackers threatened me at knife point instead of gun point. They tried to use large zip ties to bind me as well but that is when I escaped. I'm still haunted by thinking about what would have happened if I didn't escape.
It breaks my heart to hear what really happened to Haroon, especially in his final moments.
