Shahidul Islam, identified by investigators as the brother‑in‑law of 44‑year‑old Monica Islam, is now back in Lake County custody to face a first‑degree murder warrant, sheriff’s deputies said. His return on May 31 marks the first major local development since Monica’s body was found along Scenic Hills Drive and Wolf Branch Road in Mount Dora in early May 2025. Authorities say the transfer follows more than a year in federal immigration custody after a U.S. Marshals arrest in New York, clearing the way for prosecutors to formally pursue homicide charges.
Extradition completed at end of May
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that Shahidul was moved from federal custody to the Lake County Jail on May 31, where he is set to be booked on a first‑degree murder warrant, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The outlet notes that the handoff came only after the U.S. Marshals held Shahidul on an immigration warrant tied to an alleged illegal re‑entry following a prior deportation. Sheriff’s officials told reporters that federal procedures had to be completed before local authorities could move in with the homicide warrant.
Investigators built a tight timeline
According to the sheriff’s account, detectives pieced together a detailed timeline using surveillance footage, cellphone records, and license‑plate‑reader data that they say put Shahidul at key locations tied to the case. As reported by WESH, deputies say he left Longwood just after 3:30 a.m. on May 2, 2025, was spotted around 5:15 a.m. near a Shell station in Eustis, and called Monica’s phone shortly after 5:30 a.m. License‑plate readers then placed his vehicle near the roadside in Mount Dora, where her body was found later that morning. Investigators say that the digital trail formed the backbone of the arrest warrant obtained in May 2025.
Physical evidence described by deputies
Detectives say the digital evidence was backed up by what they found in Shahidul’s rental car after executing a search warrant. They reported discovering a shattered passenger‑side window, a projectile lodged in the passenger door, and bloodstains that produced a presumptive DNA match to Monica, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The sheriff’s office has said Monica died from a gunshot wound, and deputies told reporters that the combination of physical evidence and digital records was enough to support a first‑degree murder arrest warrant last year.
Family remembers Monica and presses for justice
As the case crawled through federal and local systems, friends and relatives kept pushing for answers while grieving Monica’s death. Her daughter has publicly said she fears for her own safety, and the family has continued to call for accountability. A May 2025 vigil drew neighbors who remembered Monica as a warm, steady presence in the community and urged investigators not to let the case stall, according to WFTV.
What comes next for the case
With Shahidul now in county custody, prosecutors can move toward arraignment and formal charges. Deputies told reporters that the homicide warrant will be served once federal holds are fully cleared, according to WESH. Hoodline previously covered the initial ruling that the medical examiner confirmed a gunshot wound in Monica’s death, gunshot wound cause of death, and local court watchers say they will be keeping a close eye on the next round of filings. No arraignment date has been posted publicly yet.
