Man convicted in fatal shooting of UAB student in Galleria parking deck
A Bessemer man has been convicted in the 2019 fatal shooting of a UAB student outside the Riverchase Galleria.
A Jefferson County jury on Tuesday found Xavier Marqise Thompson, 25, guilty of felony murder in the killing of 20-year-old Zachariah Taylor Music.
Thompson’s trial began last week. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May has set sentencing for May 7.
Initially three people were arrested by Hoover police in Music’s slaying. A grand jury later indicted Thompson, of Bessemer, in the case.
Last year, Michael Jaran Brown pleaded guilty to felony murder. He was to 20 years in prison with five years to serve.
Also charged and indicted in Music’s death are Dannarious De Shon Washington, 25, and Michael Jabari Akamune, 25. Washington is charged with capital murder, and Akamune is charged with murder.
Trial dates for Washington and Akamune have not been announced.
According to court records in the case against Washington, Music was killed during the course of a theft of cash and THC vape cartridges.
Hoover police and firefighters responded about 1:30 p.m. that Wednesday, June 26, 2019, to the fifth floor of the North Parking Deck. When they arrived, they found Music inside a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 1:39 p.m.
“This was not a random shooting, and we were aware of that within the first 10 minutes of arriving on the scene,’’ now-retired Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said following Akamune’s arrest. “We have several individuals who were engaged in high-risk activities and sometimes those activities turn tragic.”
“There were lots of terrible decisions made (that) Wednesday,’’ Rector said, “and all of those individuals are now going to be held accountable for their actions.”
“I think by now,’’ Rector said, “everyone knows this situation involved drugs and an armed robbery attempt.’’