A Sacramento County jury on Thursday convicted a man of first-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of a 70-year-old man during a robbery in East Sacramento. Charles Starzynski was killed on N Street while on his way to the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club on Oct. 20. (Previous coverage in the video above.)According to the DA’s office, Starzynski was targeted after going to a bank ATM in Midtown to make business deposits for a local food chain.Officers said two suspects, Desean Brasser Jr. and Tajenae Cooper — both 23 years old — followed Starzynski from the bank before the killing took place. Brasser was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Cooper, prosecutors said. The DA’s office said that Starzynski carried a blue bank bag to his car and put it in his trunk.His two assailants followed Starzynski into a parking alley behind the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club. As Starzynski was standing near his vehicle with the trunk open, Cooper pulled up next to the victim and Brasser exited the vehicle armed with a gun, according to prosecutors. A witness reported hearing Brasser yell “give me the bag” as he approached the man and then stole the bank bag, prosecutors said. Brasser then fatally shot Starzynski and Cooper drove the getaway car, according to the DA’s office. Sacramento police located the suspect vehicle parked in an apartment complex and arrested Brasser and Cooper. According to the DA’s office, evidence in the case included video, DNA from a cellphone dropped by the gunman matching Brasser, and ballistics matching a gun located in Brasser’s mother’s house.Brasser faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sentencing is set for April 10. Cooper previously pleaded to robbery and will be sentenced on May 29, the DA’s office said. Starzynski was a longtime staffer at CapRadio, who was remembered by those who knew him as someone who had spent his life devoted to enriching the city. | VIDEO BELOW | East Sacramento residents meet with mayor, police chief, city leaders to talk safety
A Sacramento County jury on Thursday convicted a man of first-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of a 70-year-old man during a robbery in East Sacramento.
Charles Starzynski was killed on N Street while on his way to the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club on Oct. 20.
(Previous coverage in the video above.)
According to the DA’s office, Starzynski was targeted after going to a bank ATM in Midtown to make business deposits for a local food chain.
Officers said two suspects, Desean Brasser Jr. and Tajenae Cooper — both 23 years old — followed Starzynski from the bank before the killing took place. Brasser was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Cooper, prosecutors said.
The DA’s office said that Starzynski carried a blue bank bag to his car and put it in his trunk.
His two assailants followed Starzynski into a parking alley behind the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club.
As Starzynski was standing near his vehicle with the trunk open, Cooper pulled up next to the victim and Brasser exited the vehicle armed with a gun, according to prosecutors.
A witness reported hearing Brasser yell “give me the bag” as he approached the man and then stole the bank bag, prosecutors said.
Brasser then fatally shot Starzynski and Cooper drove the getaway car, according to the DA’s office.
Sacramento police located the suspect vehicle parked in an apartment complex and arrested Brasser and Cooper.
According to the DA’s office, evidence in the case included video, DNA from a cellphone dropped by the gunman matching Brasser, and ballistics matching a gun located in Brasser’s mother’s house.
Brasser faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sentencing is set for April 10.
Cooper previously pleaded to robbery and will be sentenced on May 29, the DA’s office said.
Starzynski was a longtime staffer at CapRadio, who was remembered by those who knew him as someone who had spent his life devoted to enriching the city.
| VIDEO BELOW | East Sacramento residents meet with mayor, police chief, city leaders to talk safety