OAKLAND — An East Bay man convicted of murdering the person who allegedly robbed him per week earlier was sentenced to 25 years to life, courtroom data present.
R. Zacharia Grubbs, 48, was sentenced after jurors convicted him final September of murdering 35-year-old Andre Margain. Grubbs testified in his personal protection that he believed Margain had a firearm and shot in self-defense.
Grubbs was recognized because the shooter partly due to his massive, crimson beard and corresponding nickname — Pink Beard — that stood out to eyewitnesses.
The sentence was handed down late final yr, however wasn’t beforehand reported. On the listening to, Grubbs heard from Margain’s mom and sister who described him as a loving member of the family. They talked about their grief course of after studying concerning the homicide.
“You took my one and solely son…My son has three youngsters which have suffered severely from this loss. All of us have suffered in numerous methods,” Margain’s mom, Debbie Martinez, mentioned on the listening to.
Choose Kimberly Colwell mentioned she believes Grubbs is remorseful for the killing, however deputy district legal professional Jose Marin disagreed. He pointed to textual content messages the place Grubbs disparaged his sufferer after the homicide.
“His phrases have been, he was a chunk of (expletive) and he robbed the mistaken individual, and that was the motive behind this killing,” Martin mentioned.
Grubb’s legal professional, deputy public defender Palden Ukyab, mentioned Grubbs is deeply remorseful and “feels horrible” for Margain’s household.
“My shopper is full of regret. He’s been full of remorse and regret. He needs that none of this might have occurred,” Ukyab mentioned.
Margain was shot and killed June 7, 2018, as he drove a bike down the 16000 block of Bayberry Lane in San Lorenzo. Grubbs mentioned beneath oath that a week earlier, Margain had robbed him of medication, money, and weapons after apparently trailing him to a trailer park. The 2 have been methamphetamine sellers within the San Leandro space who went to the identical provider, Grubbs testified. He mentioned after the taking pictures he realized Margain was unarmed, then received scared and threw his pistol in Lake Chabot.