Philadelphia

After More Than 7 Years, Convicted Killer to Face Trial in Murder of Aspiring Teacher in Philadelphia

UPDATE: Jury selection in the case was pushed back to Tuesday.


The murder trial for a man already serving a life sentence in one murder case will begin Monday.

Convicted killer Marcellus Jones is accused of killing Beau Zabel, an aspiring teacher who authorities say was gunned down for his iPod a month after moving to Philadelphia in 2008.

Jones apparently wanted Zabel's iPod, police said.

The 36-year-old is already in prison, serving time for the murder of another man, Tyreek Taylor. Prosecutors have said they believed Jones murdered the 20-year-old to keep him from talking to police about the man's role in Zabel's death -- allegedly as a getaway driver. Jones is currently serving a life sentence for Taylor's death.

Police said that while they were told by other people Jones killed Zabel, there was not enough evidence to link the man to the crime for years.

Zabel, who was from Minnesota, was studying at Drexel University at the time of his murder and planned to teach in the public school system. He had just gotten off work at the Starbucks at 4th and South Streets when he was robbed and shot.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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