Zion Young, aged 25, has been sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison following his conviction for the murder of Kelvin Chew during a botched robbery attempt, as reported by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Young's accomplice, Fagamalama Pasene, awaits sentencing after also being convicted for his role in the first-degree murder and attempted robbery, according to the District Attorney's publication.
On that fateful evening of May 7, 2020, Chew, only 19 at the time, was out for a post-dinner walk when he was tragically shot and killed. The San Francisco police discovered surveillance footage showing Young as the shooter, who approached Chew and demanded his cell phone. In a desperate response, Chew attempted to disarm Young, which led to Young firing the fatal shots. "Mr. Young's sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes," District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in her remarks about the severe sentencing, as stated by the District Attorney's Office.
Diligent police work, including tips, surveillance video analysis, and DNA evidence, tied Young and Pasene to the crime. The day following the murder, an anonymous tip suggested Young as the shooter, and further investigation provided incriminating evidence such as cell phone location data, video surveillance, and ballistics that matched Young to the weapon used. "The murder of Kelvin Chew was an unbelievable tragedy," Assistant District Attorney Dane Reinstedt reflected on the impact of the loss of such a young life, as mentioned in his statement for the District Attorney's Office.
Reinstedt's team, including District Attorney Investigators Doug Keely and Glenn Pon, paralegals Jessica Diamond and Julio Flores-Guzman, victim advocate Peter Huynh, and Maria Reynoso, proved indispensable in presenting a robust case against the defendants. "The victim’s murder was a senseless tragedy," Reinstedt stressed, reinforcing the gravity of the incident in the District Attorney's press release.
