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Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Columbia Mall Bus-Stop Double Murder

Prosecutors say ankle-monitor GPS, security video and witness testimony placed him at the scene.

Overview

  • Judge Stephanie Porter sentenced Emmetson Zeah to two life-without-parole terms plus 70 years on Friday, May 22, 2026, for the February 2025 killings of Michael Robertson, 16, and Blake McCray, 15.
  • Prosecutors told the court the motive was "payback" and relied on GPS from an ankle monitor, security-camera footage and witness statements to link Zeah to the bus-stop shooting.
  • Zeah testified that he acted in self-defense, but the judge rejected that account during the January bench trial and found him guilty of first-degree murder and related charges.
  • At the time of the shooting Zeah was on bail for a November 2024 home invasion and attempted stabbing and was required to wear an ankle monitor that recorded his location.
  • The victims' families have filed a civil suit against the private company that supervised Zeah's ankle monitor, a development that raises questions about electronic-monitoring practices and oversight.