Ahang Mirshojae, 54, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of murder and conspiracy in the ambush-style killing of her ex-husband, Dr. Hamid Mirshojae. The prominent Southern California physician was fatally shot outside his Woodland Hills medical clinic in August 2024.
Mirshojae is accused of hiring Evan Hardman, 42, of Tomball, Texas, to carry out the murder. Hardman, who has also been arrested, reportedly told detectives that Mirshojae had initially hired him months earlier for an attack intended to involve a beating and the theft of valuable watches. When that plan failed, Hardman claims Mirshojae offered him $400,000 to kill the doctor. Prosecutors allege the killing was carefully planned and carried out for financial gain.
According to testimony, on Aug. 23, 2024, a masked gunman approached Dr. Mirshojae from behind as he was heading toward his vehicle outside his clinic on Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The doctor was shot in the head at close range and died at the scene. This shooting occurred just months after an earlier attack on Dr. Mirshojae with a blunt weapon, for which prosecutors also allege Mirshojae’s ex-wife hired Hardman and another individual, Sarallah Jawed.
Jawed was later charged in connection with the earlier assault, and Ashley Rose Sweeting was accused of acting as an accessory by allegedly driving Hardman to and from the shooting. However, a judge later found insufficient evidence to proceed with murder charges against Jawed and Sweeting.
Mirshojae and Hardman were ordered to stand trial in June 2026. A judge has ordered both defendants held without bail.
Dr. Hamid Mirshojae, who was married to Ahang Mirshojae in 2023 and shared a six-month-old daughter at the time of his death, was known for his work in emergency medicine and addiction treatment, with a professional biography stating his patients included celebrities, movie stars, and athletes.
His widow filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Ahang Mirshojae and others, alleging the killing was motivated by revenge, jealousy, and financial disputes. Ahang Mirshojae’s attorney has argued that prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to portray his client as the mastermind behind the murder.
Mingling with the legal proceedings, Ahang Mirshojae had publicly expressed shock and grief following her ex-husband's death before authorities accused her of orchestrating the crime. She has denied any involvement in the killing.