Son pleads guilty in murder-for-hire in mom's death

This photo provided by the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows Nur J. Mohamed. A high school student, Danish Moazzam Minhas, told investigators he hired Mohamed to kill his mother because she was too strict, police said in announcing capital murder charges against the two, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Harris County Sheriff's Office) less This photo provided by the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows Nur J. Mohamed. A high school student, Danish Moazzam Minhas, told investigators he hired Mohamed to kill his mother because she was too strict, ... more Photo: HO Photo: HO Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Son pleads guilty in murder-for-hire in mom's death 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

A former Lee High School student on Thursday admitted to hiring a classmate in 2009 to kill his mother.

Danish Minhas, 21, pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for 50 years in prison. He admitted to paying classmate Nur Mohamed $4,000 to brutally stab his mother, Tabassum Khan, on Nov. 24, 2009.

Minhas was 17, and Mohamed was 18 at the time.

"I think this was a very unusual crime," said prosecutor Angela Weltin. "It's very, very sad and hard to contemplate why anyone would want to do this."

Minhas, who was often seen at school sipping Starbucks before reading the morning announcements over the public address system, wanted to get away from his "strict" mother, investigators said.

Minhas pleaded guilty Thursday in state District Judge Jim Wallace's court. He was scheduled to go on trial Monday and could have faced life in prison if convicted by a jury.

Last year, Mohamed pleaded guilty to murder and agreed to testify that Minhas hired him to kill the 43-year-old woman. In exchange for his testimony, he sentenced to 40 years in prison, Weltin said.

Police were initially suspicious of Minhas, who said he found his mother's body after staying out all night, first on a date, then driving around Galveston.

While investigating, detectives found a bloody handprint on the doorknob that was traced back to Mohamed.

Mohamed later said he had worn rubber gloves, but they had been cut in a struggle with Khan.

After he was arrested for drugs at school a few weeks after the slaying, police were able to match the prints and later DNA to Mohamed.

When he pleaded guilty last year, Mohamed said Minhas picked him up and took him to his apartment on the night of the slaying. He said Minhas went in to check that his mother was home, then left the door open and signaled him.

After the stabbing, Minhas took Mohamed home.

When asked whether Minhas seemed to have any remorse after the slaying, Mohamed said, "He just smiled."