Dr sentenced in murder-for-hire plot

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WDTN) - A Huber Heights doctor is headed to prison after he tried to have his ex-wife killed.

Shafik Ahmad will spend 7 years locked up if he isn't deported first.

The judge said, if it was up to him, he would have Ahmad deported since he is a resident alien, but that decision is in the Federal Government's hands.

In the meantime, Ahmad's attorney is vowing a fight to keep Ahmad here in the U.S., but also to get him another trial.

Dr. Shafik Ahmad stood in a Montgomery County courtroom Wednesday morning to hear his sentence.

It's been more than a year since Ahmad's initial arrest after he was caught trying to hire one of his patients to kill his ex-wife, Kristin Hornsby, during a bitter child custody battle.

In January, a jury found Ahmad guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.

"You never respected me as your wife or the mother of your child, I believe your choice to have me murdered easily came to you," said Kristin Hornsby, Ahmad's ex-wife.

Hornsby told the court her ex-husband has a history of violence and said this is just another example of his heartless actions.

Ahmad remained silent in court, but Judge John Kessler didn't hold back.

He says Ahmad broke more than the law, he blatantly violated his sworn duties as a doctor to respect human life.

Kessler told Ahmad, who is Pakistani, that ordering him to leave the country is the only punishment he feels fits the crime.

"If I could order it, I would. I would make deportation a permanent part of the disposition in this case," said Judge Kessler.
Instead, Judge Kessler sentenced Ahmad to 7 years in prison.

Ahmad's attorney says they will appeal.

"Certain things happened during the trial which will raise appellate issues, those will be investigated fully in this matter, so the fight's not over by an account," said Jon Paul Rion.

Ahmad has agreed not to practice medicine in Ohio because of allegations regarding sexual misconduct with more than a dozen patients.

The state medical board is considering a final penalty.