Jury finds final suspect in gruesome philadelphia murders guilty

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Last week, a Philadelphia jury found Zamir Burton guilty of Third Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, Abuse of Corpse, and Possession of an Instrument of Crime. The charges stem from a December 2019 plot that involved the maiming and torture of two Philadelphia men and resulted in the death of one.

During the week of Christmas 2019, Burton and co-defendants LaShawana Dantzler, Zahmir Mason, and Jordan Oliver-Williams lured acquaintances through social media to a house on the 4800 block of N. Fairhill Street. Once there, the victims were subjected to brutal attacks involving stabbing, mutilation, and burning. One of the victims, 22-year-old Darius Cheeseboro, was attacked on December 21 and later died due to his injuries.

The second victim was attacked on December 26 but managed to escape, despite severe injuries, after the defendants left him in the backyard, assuming he was dead. A 15-year-old female, who was dating Burton and had run away from home, recorded the December 26 attack. She later informed her school counselor about the incidents, leading authorities to the location under the W. Rockland Street bridge where Cheeseboro’s remains were found in a trashcan.

District Attorney Krasner commended Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski and the key witnesses for their roles in securing justice. “Their testimonies proved crucial in securing justice in this case,” said DA Krasner.

ADA Toczylowski also praised the Philadelphia Police Homicide Detectives and the survivor for their courage and cooperation. “While this conviction will never bring back Darius Cheeseboro, I hope that it can at least bring some measure of closure to his loved ones and friends,” said ADA Toczylowski.

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