Azim Hakeem, 38, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on July 30, 2013, in the basement of Evanston Pipe & Tobacco in Evanston, Illinois. His brother, Mobeen Hakeem, 34, was also found shot; both had taken over the family business about ten years earlier and were described as quiet and kind by members of their community.

Investigators initially treated the scene as a death investigation, noting no immediate signs of robbery and no forced entry, which suggested the killer knew the store layout and the basement location. The North Regional Major Crime Task Force and the Evanston Police Department later concluded the brothers were murdered. The primary suspect named in the case was 29-year-old Evanston resident Kevin Ross. Officers linked Ross to the crime through items found after his death, including identification documents belonging to both Azim and Mobeen and a .22 caliber shell casing matching those at the scene. Records indicate Ross had purchased a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol in June 2013 and a May 2013 receipt shows he visited the tobacco shop before the killings.

The Hakeem family expressed frustration with the pace and transparency of the investigation. The community remembered the brothers as gentle, humble men. Does anyone who knew Azim or Mobeen, or who was in Evanston around May–July 2013, have information that could help clarify what happened?