Lowell stabbing ended a father's life; probe continues

Mon. December 01, 2008; Posted: 07:29 PM

And according to his family, that was the No. 1 thing in the life of Mazen Alwarad, right up until three men stabbed him to death on Saturday morning.

The 37-year-old Lowell man was almost done with his overnight shift at the 7-Eleven at Westford and Chelmsford streets, when he went outside for a quick break, according to store owner Sean Gannem.

Witnesses told police three men attacked Alwarad outside. He was flown to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and pronounced dead.

Police have released few other details, but those three men remain at large. Detectives have asked for the public's help in identifying who they are.

Alwarad was only working at the store because he loved to dote on his 3-year-old, Kenan, according to his wife, Wadia Khabezeh.

Every day, Alwarad would try to bring something home for his son, whether it be a toy or just a Chuck E. Cheese's hat, said his sister-in-law, Nadia Khabezeh.

"He was a good worker," said Gannem, who has known Alwarad for several years. "He was a good person. He always took care of his son."

Gannem said Alwarad worked full time at a jewelry-repair store in Manchester, N.H., but had been picking up weekend and night shifts at the store for about a year to make extra money.

Wadia Khabezeh, who gathered with friends, family and neighbors this weekend, said that despite all the hard work, Alwarad enjoyed his life.

She had known him for

years. He was a friend of her cousin in Syria, and the two got together in 2002, while still living there. They were married later that year, in December, and moved to the U.S. in 2004.

In 2005, Kenan was born.

Alwarad was outgoing. He loved to sing and dance, to tell a joke.

Police say he had never been in trouble.

His death left co-workers at 7-Eleven shaken, but determined to stay in the neighborhood.

The killing was the third in about two years at the store, but the first to involve a worker.

Police have long said they have no complaints about Gannem, who has always worked well with the department.

Surveillance cameras and monitors are visible inside and outside the store. The windows are always free of signs, so its easy to see inside from the parking lot, which police have said helps prevent robberies.

The store has not been robbed in years, even though three men have now been killed there.

The lot is well-kept, standing out somewhat among the rough confines of the Lower Highlands, and run-down buildings just down the street.

A June 2006 murder at the store was caught on surveillance tapes. Police say those tapes show Jerry Meas, 24, of Lowell, shooting Bonla Dy, 24, of Lawrence, in the neck. Meas goes on trial for that killing today.

Eighteen months later, Jose "Anthony" Villanueva was shot down in the same parking lot. Police say Malein "Charlie" Meas was responsible. He is still awaiting trial for murder.

All of the killings occurred outside.

Gannem has run the store for about five years and has no plans to stop. His roughly eight employees are staying put, too.

"We still believe there's a lot of good people here, so we're not going to abandon them," Gannem said. "It's not going to be easy, but we're pulling together here."

Neighborhood leaders expressed their condolences over the weekend, and pledged to work with police to find a way to make the violence stop.

"We must work together to send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated in our community," said Heddi Nieuwsma, of the Lower Highlands Neighborhood Group.

Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee has said he, too, will be looking at new ways to stop the violence, even though there are few places in the city where police have a more visible presence.

Alwarad is the ninth person slain in Lowell this year.

Wadia Khabezeh, her eyes still moist more than 24 hours after getting the news, said she hasn't told her son that his father is gone. In an odd way, the boy seemed to know.

"He usually asks about his daddy like 10 times a day," Wadia Khabezah said. "But he didn't today."

She knows that, soon, she will have to tell him.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lowell police at (978) 937-3200 or Crimestoppers at (978) 459-TIPS (8477). Callers to Crimestoppers may remain anonymous, but can receive up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.

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