When Sundus Odhowa received a call from a relative saying that her younger sister had been killed in a car crash, she frantically texted and called her sister repeatedly.
“Hey are you okay? Please tell me this isn’t real,” she texted Siham Odhowa.
But she wouldn’t pick up.
Siham and four other young women had been killed by a driver who was driving nearly 100 miles-an-hour, ran a red light and T-boned their car in Minneapolis. The close friends and relatives had been preparing for a wedding the next day.
“I kept calling her,” Sundus said. “But I knew she was gone.”
Some of the women’s siblings testified in court Tuesday about the moment they found out their loved ones had been involved in the crash at Lake Street and 2nd Avenue on June 16, 2023. Medical experts and a forensic scientist also testified Tuesday in Derrick Thompson’s trial, telling the court about injuries he sustained in the crash, DNA evidence recovered at the scene and injuries to the women.
Thompson is charged with 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide and five counts of third-degree murder for killing Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; Siham Odhowa, 19; and Sabiriin Ali, 17.
Prosecutors say Thompson was driving a rented Cadillac Escalade SUV when he hit the women’s Honda Civic, killing them instantly.
Thompson’s attorney, Tyler Bliss, has said the prosecution’s evidence is not sufficient to convict his client, and in a court filing he may argue that Thompson’s brother was driving the SUV.
Victims’ families testify about ‘nightmare’ day
Sundus, 29, said her sister was studying computer science, and wanted to become a software engineer. But Siham will never have that career, she said, get married or have children.
“That was taken away from her,” Sundus told jurors.
Sundus had a panic attack after she learned about the crash. When she got to the scene, she said, it “felt like a movie.” She doesn’t remember much from that night.
“I thought I was in a dream — more like a nightmare — that night,” she testified.
Sundus described her sister as the “pillar” and “light” of her family.
“How has your life and your family’s changed since this happened?” asked Senior Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paige Starkey.
“Our lives haven’t been the same since,” Sundus said. “Since then, it’s been darkness.”
Salma Abdikadir’s younger brother, Munir Abdikadir, 20, got a call late that night from a friend. Both of their sisters had been involved in a car crash, the friend said. Munir refused to believe him. He hung up.
It was a joke, he thought.
His friend called back. This time, his friend’s father was on the line.
“I knew it had to be serious,” Munir testified in court Tuesday.
His friend’s father told him that he needed to tell his mother that something had happened to his sister. Munir didn’t understand the full scope of what had occurred, but began getting his family ready. They drove to the crash scene.
Munir and his siblings were tracking Salma’s location from her cellphone, but it was stagnant. It wasn’t updating. Something was wrong, he felt.
When his family arrived at the scene, they saw a large crowd, including the other women’s family members.
“I remember having to drag my mom out of the car,” Munir testified, breaking into tears.
His father broke down at the scene.
“I’ve bever seen my dad in that type of situation, that emotional,” he testified.
Munir testified that at some point, he learned that his sister’s body had been taken to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office. He said he was still in denial that she was dead.
He drove to the office in the middle of night. He banged on the door.
“Open up, open up! I need to see my sister,” Munir told the court. He said staff members eventually asked him to leave.
“My sister’s in there, she needs me,” Munir recalled telling them. He was told he couldn’t see her.
Reality began to sink in that his sister, who was studying psychology with the goal of becoming a therapist, was gone. The sister, he testified, whose face was “bright like the sun.”
For six months, their mother couldn’t go upstairs to her bedroom to sleep. Salma’s bedroom was also upstairs, and it was too much for her.
“It didn’t feel like a home anymore,” Munir said.
Medical examiner testifies about women’s injuries
Dr. Amanda Spencer, an assistant medical examiner with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office, conducted death investigations for the five women.
CT scan images of the women’s skulls and bones were shown to jurors. Spencer testified that the women had “extensive” injuries from the crash. Some had more severe injuries to the head and neck. Others had injuries concentrated to their torsos. Car debris was found inside and around their bodies.
Prosecutors presented CT scan images of the women’s badly damaged bodies, leading family members in the gallery to cry. Some looked away and left the courtroom.
Spencer testified that the women died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash.
Thompson’s injuries, DNA evidence
A nurse who cared for Thompson when he was hospitalized at Hennepin County Medical Center after the crash also testified Tuesday.
Amber Raymond said that Thompson had a fractured pelvis, and was in the hospital for three days. He declined to undergo surgery, despite recommendations from medical providers.
Raymond said that she spoke with Thompson about the crash. Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Joseph Paquette asked her if Thompson indicated that anyone else besides him was driving the SUV.
“No he did not,” she replied.
Thompson’s defense attorney indicated in a court filing last week that he may argue that Thompson’s brother, Damarco Thompson, was driving.
Marlijn Hoogendoorn, a forensic scientist with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, testified about the DNA that was collected from the SUV.
She testified that there was “very strong support” that Thompson’s DNA contributed to a mixture of multiple people’s DNA that was found on the inside of the SUV’s driver side door. Hoogendoorn also said that there was “moderate support” that Damarco Thompson’s DNA was a contributor.
Bliss asked Hoogendoorn to confirm that she couldn’t exclude Damarco Thompson’s DNA from the mixture collected from the interior of the driver side door.
“Correct,” she said.
Senior Assistant Hennepin County Attorney James Hanneman asked Hoogendoorn if the likelihood of Damarco Thompson’s DNA being present was lower than Derrick Thompson’s DNA.
“Yes,” she replied.
Did anyone else exit the SUV?
Minneapolis Police Sgt. David Ligneel investigated the case and reviewed footage of the crash collected from nearby businesses and security cameras. Ligneel testified that the passenger doors of the Escalade did not appear to open after the crash.
“Is there any evidence that anyone gets out of the passenger side of the Escalade?” Starkey asked.
“No,” Ligneel replied.
Bliss had told jurors in his opening statement last week that, “When the dust settles, the smoke clears, you’ll see multiple doors to this vehicle open.”
Prosecutors also showed surveillance video of Thompson walking toward a nearby Taco Bell parking lot after the crash.
“Is there any other person with Mr. Thompson as he departed the area of the crash?” Starkey asked.
“No,” Ligneel replied.
Surveillance footage was played in court showing Thompson renting the Escalade from Hertz at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. It depicts Thompson arriving at the rental car location with his brother, Damarco Thompson, in a Dodge Challenger. Thompson leaves driving the Escalade, and Damarco Thompson follows in the Challenger.
Ligneel’s testimony is expected to continue Wednesday morning.
