Newbury Park Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder of Vulnerable Teen

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Zuberi Kalaikulokahiokalani Sharp (DOB 03/26/00), of Newbury Park, pled guilty on March 30, 2026, to second-degree murder in the killing of his 15-year-old half-brother, Zayde. Sharp also admitted the special allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury and the aggravating factors of using a weapon to commit the crime and the victim being particularly vulnerable.

On December 5, 2024, at approximately 8:00 p.m., the victim’s mother called 9-1-1 to report that her son, Sharp, had attacked his half-brother inside a converted backyard shed where the two had been alone together. When Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found the mother holding Zayde in her lap. Sharp had fled prior to the deputies’ arrival.

Zayde’s uncle told deputies he went to check on the boys after learning they were alone in the shed. As he approached, he heard a loud “thud.” When he entered, he saw Sharp standing over Zayde holding a pickaxe.

Zayde, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Following the attack, deputies received reports of a man acting erratically on the football field at Newbury Park High School. Deputies located Sharp, having removed his clothing, in the field, and he was taken into custody.

Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Homicide Unit, prosecuted the case.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy for a family that has already endured so much,” Mr. Russell said. “While nothing can undo the loss of Zayde, this resolution spares his loved ones from having to relive these horrific events through a lengthy and painful jury trial.”

Sharp is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He remains in custody without bail and faces 15 years to life in state prison

Case: 2024032228

Defendant Information:
Zuberi Kalaikulokahiokalani Sharp (DOB 03/26/00)
Newbury Park

Charges pled guilty to: