2 More Murder Convictions In Deaths Of 2 Germantown Teens: Report

MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, MD — Two more men were convicted Monday in the killings of a pair of Montgomery County high school students the day before their graduation in 2017.

On Nov. 19, Rony Galicia, 26, and Edgar Garcia-Gaona, 25, were found guilty of first-degree murder charges in connection with the shooting deaths of Shadi Ali Najjar, 17, and Artem Ziberov, 18, WTOP reported. Najjar and Ziberov — two Northwest High School students — were shot to death in a Blue Honda Civic in Montgomery Village on June 5, 2017.

About 10:46 p.m. on June 5, Montgomery County Police found the two victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds inside the car. Both teens died at the scene.

The two other suspects who were arrested in connection with the double homicide are Jose Ovilson Canales-Yanez and Roger Garcia. Earlier this year, Canales-Yanez was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Garcia will stand trial at a later date.

A friend of Najjar later told investigators that Najjar had allegedly committed a drug-related robbery, according to a June 2017 press statement. Officials also learned that Najjar was planing to sell a graduation ticket to Garcia.

Police said Canales-Yanez may have targeted Najjar after he stole drugs and an iPad from Canales-Yanez's girlfriend. In a 2016 police report, Yanez said she was approached by a blue Honda Civic while she was walking, and a front-seat passenger stole her device. She reported being dragged by the car about 50 feet.

According to the press release, police believed that the shooting may have been in retaliation for Najjar’s robbery of Yanez.

On Monday, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy held a press conference with the families of both victims.

"We greatly appreciate the courage of the witnesses who came forward," Ziberov's father said, according to WTOP. "The conviction of these two killers makes Montgomery County a little safer for the rest of us."

"That day will be remembered for the rest of our lives," Najjar father added, per the outlet. "We have to continue this life without our kids. Those criminals took their futures away from them."

Image via Renee Schiavone/Patch

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