Watch CBS News

Jury Finds 3 Men Guilty On All Counts In Case Of Murdered Moon Lite Party Store Owner

MACOMB COUNTY (CBS DETROIT) - A Macomb County jury has returned a verdict of guilty on all counts in the case of murdered Moon Lite Party Store owner Basim Sulaka.

Sulaka, a 51-year-old father of two who survived cancer, was killed when three masked men with guns broke into the Moon Lite Party Store on Harper Avenue, just north of 14 Mile Road in Clinton Township in March of 2014.

The jury deliberated for a little over nine hours to reach the guilty verdicts on counts of first degree murder, armed robbery, weapons felony firearm and conspiracy to commit armed robbery charges.

During deliberations Wednesday, jurors asked for clarification on the terms 'aiding and abetting,' as well as the definition of 'second degree murder' before rendering their verdict.

The three men charged in the case; Darius Diaz-Gaskin, 25, of Detroit, the alleged gunman, Jomar Robinson, 26, and Kenneth Hill, 27, both of Clinton Township admit they planned to rob the store but all claim they did not intend to kill the owner of the party store. The three men face sentences of life in prison.

clinton township party store owner murdered
Basim Sulaka - the party store owner (R), know by customers as "Sweet Basil" (Credit: Kathryn Larson/WWJ Newsradio 950)

Sulaka's sister, Vivian Sulaka, telling WWJ after the verdict was announced that justice was served.

"He was the rock of our family and they took a big, big loving man from us. And every day we talk about him, we think of him, we bring him up - they have families that can come visit them - they can talk to them on the phone. We have to go to the cemetery to visit our brother," she said.

A fourth defendant in the case, 26-year-old Clinton Grayson of Warren,  was convicted in April and sentenced to life without parole.

None of the defendants took the witness stand in the week-long trial, but video-recorded police statements from all three were entered in as evidence.

Sentencing on the convictions expected to be during the summer.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.