Overview
- Judge Catherine Voelker sentenced Zuberi Sharp to 15 years to life on Tuesday in Ventura County, and he will be eligible for parole after 15 years with about a year and a half already served.
- Sharp pleaded guilty in March to second-degree murder under an agreement that set the minimum allowable sentence.
- Deputies said Sharp attacked 15-year-old Zayde Keohohou with a pickaxe in a converted backyard shed on Dec. 5, 2024, and was arrested naked later that night on Newbury Park High School’s football field.
- Prosecutors called the killing of the teen, who had cerebral palsy, a violent act against a vulnerable victim and said the plea spared the family a trial.
- Family members and the judge emphasized Sharp’s mental-health history, and court records will share his diagnosis with state prison officials for treatment planning and future parole review.