California Man Pleads Guilty to Pickaxe Killing of Disabled Half-Brother in Ventura County

A 26-year-old man pleaded guilty on March 30 to the second-degree murder of his 15-year-old half-brother with cerebral palsy in Newbury Park, Ventura County, prosecutors announced.

Zuberi Kalaikulokahiokalani Sharp admitted to killing his younger half-brother, Zayde, with a pickaxe, and accepted charges including the use of a weapon, causing great bodily injury, and targeting a vulnerable victim, according to the Ventura County district attorney’s office.

The attack occurred on December 5, 2024. Authorities said that Sharp and Zayde were alone in a makeshift shed when their uncle approached and heard a loud "thud." Prosecutors stated that the uncle entered the shed to find Sharp standing over Zayde, holding a pickaxe.

Deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office responded that evening to a 911 call from Zayde’s mother on the 400 block of Jeanne Court. Upon arrival, they found her holding Zayde in her lap as Sharp had already fled the scene.

Shortly after the incident, deputies searching for the suspect were called to the football field at Newbury Park High School, about a mile away, following reports of a man behaving erratically. Officers found Sharp unclothed and took him into custody.

Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell, who prosecuted the case, described the event as "an unimaginable tragedy for a family that has already endured so much," acknowledging the emotional impact on the victim’s loved ones. Prosecutors noted that the plea would spare the family the trauma of a jury trial.

Sharp remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5. He faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life in state prison. The case highlights ongoing concerns about violence against vulnerable individuals.