RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — On Wednesday, a Raleigh jury found Taiseer Zarka guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the 2023 death of Mark Garrity.
Zarka was initially charged with second-degree murder but jurors were also give the options of the lesser crimes of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
The jury found Zarka guilty of fatally stabbing Garrity during an altercation in Zarka’s downtown store, Taz’s Supermarket. Zarka told police he believed Garrity was stealing from his convenience store and concealing the item in a bag he was carried. Zarka confronted Garrity with a knife already in hand. Garrity refused to give his bag over to Zarka.
Defendant takes stand, jury visits crime scene in Raleigh convenience store murder
Prosecutors also argued they Garrity was trying to get away from Zarka. They said the confrontation escalated when he was cornered by Zarka and another shop employee. Zarka ultimately stabbed Garrity three times. Garrity stumbled out of the store before collapsing in the street.