Karim Selim and the New Cairo Serial Murders

Karim Mohamed Selim became known in Egyptian coverage as the “Fifth Settlement serial killer” or “Tagamoa killer” after prosecutors connected him to the deaths of three women whose bodies were left in desert areas. The criminal case moved through trial, appeal and finally Egypt's Court of Cassation, which in March 2026 rejected his challenge and left the death sentence final.

Three murders, not an open-ended victim count

The adjudicated case concerned three women. Prosecutors charged Selim with premeditated murder and additional offenses involving exploitation, narcotics and treatment of the victims' bodies. Although the media label “serial killer” can invite speculation about additional victims, this dossier counts only the three murders established in the criminal proceedings reviewed here.

The victims' dignity is more important than reproducing sensational detail. Court and news reports contain disturbing descriptions of what happened before and after death; those details are not necessary to explain the conviction, the evidentiary issues raised on appeal or the final legal status.

Investigation and prosecution

The case emerged in 2024 after investigators connected bodies recovered from desert areas around greater Cairo and neighboring governorates to Selim. Egyptian prosecution reporting described an apartment in the Fifth Settlement area of New Cairo as central to the offenses and alleged that the defendant used narcotics and exploited the women.

He was arrested and referred for criminal trial on charges that included the intentional killings of three women, human trafficking and drug possession. The prosecution also relied on recorded material and other evidence recovered during the investigation.

The first death judgment

In September 2024, a Cairo criminal court sentenced Selim to death. The case then proceeded through the Egyptian appellate system. Middle East News Agency reported on December 25, 2024 that the Cairo Court of Appeal again sentenced him to death after he challenged the earlier ruling.

The death judgment at that stage was important, but it was not yet the end of the judicial record. Selim still pursued review before the Court of Cassation.

Defense arguments before the Court of Cassation

Defense lawyers asked the Court of Cassation to overturn the judgment and sought renewed medical assessment, arguing that Selim's mental condition had not been adequately considered. They also challenged the validity of procedures and statements recorded during the investigation, alleging psychological pressure.

Those arguments are recorded because they were part of the appeal. They are not presented as proved facts. The final court rejected the appeal rather than accepting that the conviction had been obtained unlawfully.

The final ruling in March 2026

On March 15, 2026, Egypt's Court of Cassation rejected Selim's appeal and upheld the death sentence. Egyptian reporting published the following day described the ruling as final and irrevocable. The court was reported to have found the material and mental elements of the offenses established, including premeditated murder, body desecration, human trafficking and narcotics possession.

That final Cassation decision makes the archive classification straightforward: the case is Solved / Adjudicated. This page does not, however, infer that a death sentence has been carried out unless a reliable later source specifically establishes execution.

Timeline

1. 2024
   Three linked murder investigations develop

   Authorities connect three murdered women and desert body-disposal sites to Karim Selim and build a case centered on New Cairo.

2. 2024
   Selim is arrested and prosecuted

   Prosecutors refer him for trial on three murder counts and additional charges involving trafficking and narcotics.

3. September 2024
   Criminal court imposes death sentence

   A Cairo criminal court convicts Selim and sentences him to death.

4. December 25, 2024
   Appeal court upholds death judgment

   Middle East News Agency reports that the Cairo Court of Appeal sentences Selim to death after his challenge to the earlier ruling.

5. March 15, 2026
   Court of Cassation rejects final appeal

   Egypt's highest ordinary criminal appellate court upholds the death sentence and rejects the defense challenge.

6. March 16, 2026
   Finality publicly reported

   Egyptian outlets describe the Cassation ruling as final and irrevocable.

Current status

Solved / adjudicated. Karim Selim was finally convicted of the premeditated murders of three women. The Court of Cassation upheld his death sentence in March 2026. This dossier does not claim that the sentence has been carried out in the absence of a separately verified execution record.