Investigators cited altered security cameras and apparent attempts to access a cellphone as they built a case against the woman’s son.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Court records are providing new details about the evidence investigators examined before a Harris County man was charged with murder in the death of his 73-year-old mother, whose body was found concealed inside her home during a welfare check.
Arman Alexander Malik, 34, faces charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence involving a human corpse in the death of Dyna Guadalupe Sorto De Malik. Records describe blood found inside the residence, security cameras investigators said appeared to have been moved or disabled, and circumstances involving the victim’s cellphone. The evidence outlined in court filings represents investigators’ allegations and has not been tested at trial.
Deputies were sent to the home in the 17900 block of Valley Knoll Drive on Sept. 1 after relatives reported they had not been able to contact Dyna Malik for several days. She had not responded to calls, messages or attempts to reach her at the residence. Deputies entered the home around 10 p.m. after trying unsuccessfully to make contact with someone inside.
Arman Malik, who had recently been living with his mother, was found in a bedroom. Deputies searching the house then detected signs of decomposition in another bedroom across the hall and discovered Dyna Malik’s body inside a large duffel bag, according to records. The bag had been covered with bedding and a rug. Investigators also documented blood in the room.
Detectives examining the house found a surveillance system and determined that three cameras appeared to have been moved or disabled, according to court records. Authorities have not publicly detailed what footage, if any, remained available from the system or whether investigators recovered recordings from before Dyna Malik’s death.
The victim’s cellphone also became part of the investigation. Records cited in local reports say Dyna Malik’s daughter provided investigators with what she believed was the phone’s passcode. After a detective entered it, the device immediately displayed a message indicating it was unavailable for a period of time. Investigators believed that response was consistent with previous unsuccessful attempts to enter the passcode. Authorities alleged Arman Malik may have attempted to access the device, but that allegation has not been proven.
Detectives also reported observing what appeared to be dried blood around Malik’s fingernails and scratches or abrasions on his hands. Deputies said he appeared to be affected by an unknown substance and later became unresponsive, prompting his transport to a hospital. Officials have not publicly identified a substance or said whether testing established what caused his condition.
Malik was first charged with tampering with physical evidence involving the concealment of a corpse. Sheriff’s officials said members of the agency’s Violent Criminals Apprehension Team arrested him Sept. 7 after his release from the hospital. Homicide detectives subsequently filed a murder charge as the investigation continued.
The murder allegation states that Malik caused serious bodily injury to his mother by striking her in the head with his hands, according to court records. Prosecutors will have to prove that allegation in court. The publicly available reports do not provide a complete timeline of the woman’s final hours, and investigators have not disclosed a motive.
A judge set bond at a reported $500,000 on each charge, totaling $1 million. Malik is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The investigation remains active, and authorities have not publicly announced a final determination establishing exactly when Dyna Malik died.
The medical findings are also important to the pending case. Earlier reports said the official cause and manner of Dyna Malik’s death had not yet been released, leaving additional forensic findings among the unresolved parts of the investigation.
Author note: Last updated September 14, 2026.