Relatives sought help after losing contact with the 73-year-old woman, leading deputies to a west Harris County home.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 34-year-old man faces murder and evidence-tampering charges after sheriff’s deputies conducting a welfare check found his 73-year-old mother dead inside a duffel bag at her west Harris County home, according to authorities and court records.
Arman Alexander Malik is charged in the death of Dyna Guadalupe Sorto De Malik. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went to a residence in the 17900 block of Valley Knoll Drive on Sept. 1 after relatives reported they had been unable to reach the woman for several days. Malik, who had recently been living with his mother, was detained at the home. Authorities have not said that he has entered a plea to the charges.
The welfare check began after family members said Dyna Malik had stopped answering calls, text messages and knocks at her door. Deputies arrived around 10 p.m. and eventually entered the residence after attempts to contact someone inside were unsuccessful, according to court records. The circumstances turned the family’s request to check on her well-being into a homicide investigation.
Deputies found Arman Malik in one bedroom and later located his mother’s body in a room across the hall, records state. Her body had been placed inside a large black duffel bag and covered with a sheet and rug. Investigators reported finding blood in the room. The body appeared to have been concealed for an extended period, although authorities have not established publicly exactly when Dyna Malik died.
Sheriff’s officials said Arman Malik appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance when deputies encountered him. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Detectives and crime scene investigators remained at the home and began collecting evidence as the death investigation continued.
Investigators said three security cameras at the residence appeared to have been moved or disabled. Court records also describe questions surrounding attempts to access Dyna Malik’s cellphone. Those details are among the circumstances investigators cited while examining whether evidence had been concealed after her death. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Malik was initially charged with tampering with physical evidence involving the concealment of a human corpse. He was arrested Sept. 7 after his release from the hospital and booked into the Harris County Jail. As homicide detectives continued the investigation, authorities filed an additional murder charge.
Court records cited in local reports allege Malik caused serious bodily injury to his mother by striking her in the head with his hands. That allegation forms part of the murder case against him but remains an accusation. Investigators have not publicly released a complete account of what they believe happened before deputies arrived at the home.
A judge set bond at $500,000 on each of the two charges, for a reported total of $1 million. The case remains pending, and Malik is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Authorities have said the investigation is continuing as detectives and prosecutors review evidence collected from the residence.
The exact time of Dyna Malik’s death has not been publicly established. Earlier reports said her official cause and manner of death remained pending as investigators awaited additional findings in the case.
Author note: Last updated September 14, 2026.