Bankruptcy Leads to Fatal End for Couple

A man murdered his ex-wife and then killed himself in their apartment on Thursday last week in what appeared to be the tragic end to an argument over financial problems, according to the Sheriff’s Office in Tampa.  Malik Shamsher, 50 shot Erum Shamsher 44, multiple times and then turned the gun on himself while the couple’s terrified daughters hid in the bathroom.  Malik worked as a truck driver for Wes Flo Co. and earned $2,600 per month while Erum at that time was receiving unemployment benefit of $442 per month.  In 2004, the Tampa couple filed for bankruptcy with debts of $251,140.  Most of these debts were owed to banks and stores, namely JC Penny, Sears, Fashion Bug and Circuit City.

Malik and Erum were married in 2003 and had 2 daughters aged 15 and 10 when they divorced in 2006.  In their divorce settlement, the couple stated that they planned to continue to live together after their divorce.  Their last address was 104, Stone Creek Pointe apartments in Tampa, near the University of South Florida, which was the scene of the gruesome murder-suicide that took place at 6:14a.m. last Thursday.  Records show that even before their marriage, the couple had been beset with financial difficulties.

In 2002, Erum accused her then employer, the Department of Children and Families of discriminating against her due to her race and religion.  Erum, who was a Pakistani Muslim, worked in the Tampa office of the department as a Public Assistance Specialist for about 18 months before being dismissed.  The department told her that her dismissal was due to poor performance.  Erum brought a lawsuit against the department in which she described how an officer of the department had grilled her regarding her religion, hygiene and diet about a month before she was fired.  The case was settled a year or so later.  According to Erum’s attorney from Jacksonville, Jeffrey Klink, the details of the settlement are not for public record.

In 2007, the couple were themselves sued by a company managing Tampa’s River View Apartments because they failed to pay their rent.  This resulted in their eviction in July that same year.

Malik Shamsher’s family who are from Chicago and Erum’s family who still reside in Pakistan were informed of the shooting by the Sheriff Office deputies.  Malik’s family will arrange for the funeral proceedings, according to Zipperers Funeral Home in Ruskin.