Trial this week in murder of Z&H Mart owner
Published 4:40 pm Monday, February 8, 2016
By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com
Jury selections began today in the murder trial of Maurice Robinson, who was charged in 2012 along with two others with killing Z&H Mart store owner Hecham Abualeinan.
Co-defendants Christopher Watson and Kevin Canzator pleaded guilty in January and April 2015, respectively. Robinson elected to have a trial.
Watson, 26 — who authorities say shot Abualeinan — was sentenced to life in prison. He could have faced the death penalty if the case had gone to trial and he was convicted.
Canzator, 23, was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison in exchange for testifying against Robinson. He could have also faced the death penalty, if convicted at trial.
Investigators said the three robbed the Neighborhood Market on Horah Street on Nov. 22, 2012, and again on Dec. 5, 2012, before the Z&H Mart robbery. Officials said Canzator and Robinson went into Z&H Mart first, then walked out, and a few seconds later, Watson walked in wearing a hoodie, a mask and gloves. He was carrying a gun.
Watson fired a warning shot into the air. Abualeinan reached for the phone and Watson shot him on the side of the head, investigators said.
The man investigators identified as Watson was shown on surveillance video stepping over the store owner. In the video, he moved toward the cash register, grabbed some money and walked out.
All three of the men got into a car that Canzator was driving and left. Robinson and Canzator turned themselves in after they saw themselves in the newspaper and on the news. The two are related by marriage, officials have said.
In an interview with police about the Neighborhood Market robberies, Watson admitted to robbing and shooting Abualeinan.
The store owner’s family, who lived at the back of the store with him, said they heard him yell followed by a loud noise. He died at the scene.
The trial is expected to last through the week.
Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.
