After a four-day trial, a jury this week ignored an insanity defense and found an Alexandria man guilty of murdering an acquaintance in the BJ’s Wholesale Club in 2021.
On Wednesday, March 5, Rakibul Fakir, was convicted of first-degree murder for the stabbing death of 29-year-old Abiy Zemene inside the store at 101 S. Van Dorn Street on Sept. 25, 2021.
Fakir and Zemene were longtime friends, according to NBC4.
Fakir and Zemene went shopping together inside the store, but after moving through a checkout line while in the customer service area, Kafir was captured on surveillance video pulling a knife from his backpack and attacked his companion.
“The attack was unprovoked, and the victim was unaware of the attack until after it was in progress,” the office of Commonwealth Attorney Bryan Porter said in a release. “Bystanders fled the store in panic as the attack unfolded.”
Fakir remained at the scene, and actually called police, along with a number of store employees. Zemene died before he could be transported to the hospital, according to court records.
Fakir attempted to pursue an insanity defense.
“(T)he defendant elected to pursue the insanity defense, calling several mental health professionals to opine he was criminally insane at the time of the offense,” according to the Commonwealth Attorney. “That defense was ultimately rejected by the jury who instead convicted the defendant of first-degree murder.”
The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Cathryn F. Evans and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joseph A. Cahoon.
Fakir will be sentenced on May 22.
