PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – A guilty verdict was handed down to Zaveon Marks, the 14-year-old charged in the shooting death of another teen in June.
The jury ruled Wednesday that Marks wass guilty of one count of first-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Zarious Fair. The decision came after about two hours of deliberation.
The jury also found Marks guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Before the jurors had begun their deliberations, both the defense and prosecution made their closing arguments. Attorney William Loeffel said except for a single eyewitness, there was not enough evidence to prove who the shooter was.
Prosecutor Nancy Mermelstein said the eyewitness was reliable. She said even though the witness had said the shooter wore black – Zaveon who was dressed in white that day – was still the one who pulled the trigger.
Marks was found guilty of shooting 16-year-old Fair three times, killing him, in June. Fair was shot three times, once in the chest, abdomen and the pelvis area.
The jury heard two days of testimonies by witnesses that began on Tuesday.
