ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Muhammad Syed pleaded no contest Tuesday to the shooting deaths of two Muslim men in Albuquerque back in 2022.

Syed pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree murder. The plea was agreed upon instead of going through two more murder trials. 

In March, a jury found Syed guilty of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Aftab Hussein in 2022. 

Judge Britt Baca-Miller accepted the plea Tuesday morning, and laid out the terms. Each second-degree murder charge has a 15-year sentence attached. 

Syed will serve the two sentenced consecutively, meaning one after another. 

Syed hasn’t been sentenced for the death of Aftab Hussein but faces 30 years for that. That sentence will be concurrent with the 30 years from this new plea deal, meaning Syed will serve 30 years in prison.

Before the agreement was approved, there was some confusion about the details. After it was all figured out, the agreement was approved. It comes after two long years of investigation and waiting for Syed to go through the justice system. 

Syed’s defense team says the plea was really the best option for everyone on both sides of this tangled case.

“I think it’s just a fair resolution given the facts that we were going to be faced with – murder number two, murder number three. It’s a fair resolution,” said Thomas Clark, Syed’s defense attorney. 

“And these were going to be difficult trials I think for the families of the victims as well, and so they are also spared having to go through that process,” said Megan Mitsunaga, Syed’s defense attorney.

Part of the plea also allows Syed to appeal his previous conviction. 

A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet, but the judge expects it to be in the next two months. 

It won’t be an easy one, as the victim’s families are expected to speak. 

For more information on his nonprofit fundraiser, click here.

MORE:

• Plea agreement reached for man accused of murdering 3 Muslim men
• First trial ends in conviction for man charged in killings of 3 Muslim men
• Suspect in murders of Muslim men faces third murder charge
• Judge sets date for second murder trial of Muhammed Syed
• APD: Man arrested, charged with murders of 2 Muslim men