164: Memphis Bridezilla

Ejaz Ahmad was kind, handsome, and a hard-working, self-made businessman. He arrived in the United States from Pakistan to fulfill his mother’s dying wish: to become an American, to complete his education, and to have a happy life. This, of course, included having a family of his own. After completing two master’s degree programs, Ejaz settled in the Memphis, Tennessee, area. He became the owner of several small businesses, purchased real estate, married a woman he loved, and became the father to a handsome little boy they named Jordan. But early in their marriage, Ejaz and Jordan’s mother ran into difficulty. Their religious differences, him a Muslim and she a Christian, were too much for their love to overcome. They divorced and remained friends, parenting their son together. The divorce left a hole in Ejaz’s life. He wanted someone to share his life and success with. He wanted a wife. Leah Ward was a prison parolee with a history of drug charges, petty crime, and a prostitution. She led a hectic, unstable life, moving from man to man and town to town. But she was a pretty girl---a girl who had been through a lot and knew how to turn on the charm. When Leah was introduced to Ejaz Ahmad, he offered her a place to live, someone to take care of her, and money to spend as she liked. Ejaz wanted to help her get through school and get off drugs. He didn’t realize how sinister and diabolical Leah could be. What began as a partnership that Ejaz thought was true love soon became abusive and dangerous. His friends and family warned him about Leah. He was preparing to separate from her. Then, in May of 2003, family members found his mutilated, decapitated, and decomposing body in his backyard shed. In Memphis Bridezilla, we’re learning that domestic violence can be just as viscously directed at a man as at a woman. This story of how the lives of two very different people tragically intersected and left a boy without a father is one that you won’t soon forget.