Man Convicted Of Killing 2 Friends During Drug Deal
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A man charged with killing two of his friends last year in Knoxville claimed self-defense, but a jury rejected that and convicted him of murder.
The jury in this case began deliberations Wednesday morning.
Thursday afternoon, the jury convicted 39-year-old Antoine Ward of murder – first degree for one victim and third degree for the other one.
The murders happened back on Jan. 23, 2014. Two people were shot and killed – friends of the shooter.
Found dead were Cheralynn Sabatasso and her boyfriend Jason Eubanks, both 36.
During a 20-minute videotaped interview by Pittsburgh homicide detectives, Ward said the shooting was self-defense.
Ward wanted to buy cocaine from the couple to resell. But Ward says he didn't have any money, things got heated, Sabatasso was driving with Eubanks next to her and then this happened:
"Jason reaches down between the seat, between him and Cheryl and pulls out a black gun and turns like this …" he said.
They tussled and Ward said the gun went off accidentally, hitting Sabatasso in the head.
"Cheryl starts driving and she can tell she's trying to see what the hell is going on at the same time, so she hit the brake, the first shot goes off," he said.
Ward says he continued to get the gun away from Eubanks, but the gun went off again and hit him twice in the head.
The jury gave Ward a first degree murder conviction for the death of Sabatasso. Ward will be sentenced in January. Until then, he remains in the Allegheny County Jail.
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