The Newbury Park man accused of killing his younger brother in late 2024 has been sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to murder.
Zuberi Sharp, 26, previously accepted a plea deal with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
During the May 5 sentencing, six of Sharp’s family members described the pain of losing 15-year-old Zayde Keohohou and expressed support for Sharp, who they said had sought mental health treatment prior to the murder. They asked the judge for leniency and compassion.
Judge Catherine Voelker said she agreed with the family that the defendant would not be in court if he had received the help he needed.
“This case has highlighted some of the shortcomings of our mental health system,” she told them during the hearing.
She imposed the minimum allowable sentence, as previously agreed upon by the prosecution and defense. After serving 15 years in state prison, Sharp — who has already served nearly a year-and-a-half in jail — will be eligible for parole.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Voelker said, will have access to court documents regarding Sharp’s mental health diagnosis.
Sharp was arrested Dec. 5, 2024, on Newbury Park High School’s football field after deputies discovered a minor with blunt-force head injuries at the family’s nearby home in the 400 block of Jeanne Court, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. The teen died on the way to the hospital.
Sharp’s father, Calvin Sharp, was convicted of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old with a meat cleaver in 2007, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December 2012 and is currently housed at California State Prison, Sacramento, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
This story will be updated.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Newbury Park man gets minimum sentence in brother’s death. Here’s why
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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