A family experienced unimaginable tragedy when an uncle walked in on his nephew slaughtering his own 15-year-old brother.
Zuberi Sharp pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday, March 30, in connection with the death of his 15-year-old half-brother, Zayde Koehohou, on December 5, 2024.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release that Sharp, 26, and Zayde were in a converted shed at the family’s home in Newbury Park, California, at the time of the incident. Their uncle said he was on his way to the shed to “check on the boys” when he heard a “thud” sound.
As the uncle entered the shed, he found “Sharp standing over Zayde holding a pickaxe.”
The boys’ mother, Jante Keohohou, called 911 around 8 p.m. to report the attack, and Sharp fled the scene before police arrived at the home.
Upon their arrival, deputies found Zayde’s mother cradling her son in her lap. Zayde, who had cerebral palsy, sustained several severe wounds to his head during the attack. He was transported to the hospital for treatment, but died soon after from his injuries.
Sharp was arrested at a nearby high school, where police found him naked and wielding the ax that he used to kill Zayde.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy for a family that has already endured so much,” Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell, who prosecuted the case, said, according to KTLA. “While nothing can undo the loss of Zayde, this resolution spares his loved ones from having to relive these horrific events through a lengthy and painful jury trial.”
In addition to pleading guilty on March 30 to the second-degree murder charge, Sharp also admitted to the special allegations that he inflicted great bodily injury and used a weapon to commit the crime. He also admitted that the victim he attacked was particularly vulnerable.
Sharp is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5. He is currently facing 15 years to life in state prison.
Following his arrest, KTLA reported that Sharp apparently suffered from mental health issues.
Keohohou spoke to Thousand Oaks Acorn about a month after the crime, saying that Sharp “didn’t know what he was doing” when he killed his brother and that he “loves his brothers, my boys loved each other.”
Sharp is reportedly the child of convicted murderer Calvin Sharp, who killed a 6-year-old boy with a meat cleaver in 2007, according to KTLA.
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