NewsLocal NewsAkron Canton News

Actions

25-year-old man found guilty of killing Akron pizza worker

Posted at 5:19 PM, Feb 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-20 16:17:30-05

AKRON, Ohio — A 25-year-old man has been found guilty of killing a pizza worker in 2015.

On Dec. 7, 2015, 21-year-old Zak Husein was working at his family's pizza shop, Premium New York Style pizza, when a masked gunman walked in and demanded money.

The gunman shot and killed Husein, according to court documents.

After following up on tips, authorities identified Shaquille Anderson as the suspect.

Anderson was found guilty of aggravated murder with repeat violent offender, violent career criminal and gun specifications, murder with repeat violent offender, violent career criminal and gun specifications, aggravated robbery with repeat violent offender, violent career criminal and gun specifications and having a weapon under disability.

He is currently serving a 21 year prison sentence for several robberies.

According to court documents, he confessed to shooting Husein while in prison.

Zak's brother, Ammar Husein, told News 5 he was always confident the case would be solved.

“We placed our trust in Akron Police, and we placed our trust in the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office from day one," Husein said.

"One of the lead detectives promised us the next day, this will be solved."

“My uncle was killed nearly 20 years ago, and my father went through the same process, unfortunately we have experience in this and hopefully we won’t have to repeat that experience again."

According to News 5 news partner, the Akron Beacon Journal, Anderson also is expected to be indicted in two other Akron robberies, in which three people were killed.

Anderson plans to plead no contest to aggravated murder and other charges in connection with those shootings.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported prosecutors have agreed not to pursue the death penalty against Anderson in the Husein case in exchange for his no contest plea in the other cases.

Prosecutor's will instead seek life in prison, without the possibility of parole, in the murder of Husein.

It's an agreement the Husein family said Zak would have whole heartedly accepted.

“It’s an honor for our family decision not to seek the death sentence and to seek life without parole to bring justice to multiple other families.”

“Even the day of his death, he reminded everybody that afternoon, hey forgive everybody that hurt you, forgive anybody that hurt you, that’s just the way he went about life.

Anderson will be sentenced on March 17.

RELATED: Suspect identified in 2015 murder of Zak Husein in pizza shop, charges to be filed Thursday