Maryland honor student murders were not random: Report

Police have arrested three suspects in the murder of two Maryland teens on the eve of their high school graduation.

Shadi Adi Najjar, 17, and Artem S. Ziberov, 18, were shot to death in Najjar’s car after the suspects reportedly lured them to a Montgomery County, Maryland, cul-de-sac on June 5, under the pretense of wanting to buy a ticket to the next day’s high school graduation ceremony.

According to the police report obtained by the Washington Post, it appears that the suspects may have targeted Najjar in relation to a drug deal gone bad involving one of the suspect’s girlfriends. Ziberov may have been a victim of bad timing. The newspaper reports that over 30 rounds were fired from multiple guns, and the suspects took Najjar’s cell phone.

Jose Canales-Yanez, 25; Edgar Garcia-Gaona, 24, and 19-year-old Roger Garcia–Edgar’s brother–have all been charged with multiple counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Both of the murdered teens were reportedly well-liked, honor roll students.

Ziberov’s stepfather William Tewelow told the Washington Post that the teenager’s body will be flown to Russia for a burial.

“He wanted these killers caught and brought to justice,” Tewelow told the newspaper. “Now he can rest properly.”

The suspects are due to appear in court on Monday.

 

Featured Photo: WJLA/Handout