WTXF- PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia jury Wednesday reached a not guilty verdict in the trial of Marcellus Jones, who was accused of the murder of teacher Beau Zabel in June 2008.Jones was acquitted on all counts. Karen Hepp reports.
Wiping away tears, Beau Zabel's devastated family goes to see where he was murdered 7 years ago walking home from a summer job.
Just 23, the fresh faced aspiring teacher- who had only been here a matter of weeks when he was killed for his iPod- shot in the back of his neck, just steps from his apartment here in the italian market.
today- the main suspect- Marcellus Jones- was found not guilty of all charges- Beau's dad thinks he got away with murder.
"I think he did- but i'm not the jury," Terry Zabel said.
Even Jones' own defense attorney was surprised he got off. Especially since the jury was told he was already a convicted murderer- for killing another man connected to this case
"Usually that kind of evidence is extremely damning, but jury saw thru it- it's a credit to them," Richard Guiliani, Jones' defense attorney, said.
Today in court, Jones shouted out a thanks directly to the jury, while's Beau's family sobbed. At the murder scene, prosecutors tried to comfort Beau's family, his sister and mother are simply too heartbroken to speak about the verdict....his dad is angry..
"Ultimately, there's another judge he'll have to pay the price then," he said.