A 19-year-old Columbia, Maryland, man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murders of two teenagers outside The Mall in Columbia.
Emmetson Zeah was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 70 years, for the February 2025 shooting deaths of 16-year-old Michael Robertson and 15-year-old Blake McCray.
According to a news release, Zeah was found guilty after a trial on multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, retaliation against a witness, reckless endangerment and firearms-related offenses.
He was acquitted of one obstruction of justice count.
Howard County police said the shooting happened before 6 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2025, in the parking lot and bus stop area near Lidl in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway.
Robertson died at the scene. McCray was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he later died.
Prosecutors said surveillance footage, witness accounts, GPS monitoring and Zeah’s own statements placed him at the scene. A search of his home turned up a gun.
Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson said the sentence “reflects the devastating consequences of a calculated act of violence” and ensures Zeah “will never again have the opportunity to inflict harm on our community.”
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