CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The murder charge for a teen accused in the deadly shooting of a college baseball player will be dropped in exchange for his testimony.
Demonte McCain, 17, and Jahzion Wilson, 15, were both charged with murder in the death of 21-year-old Zachary Finch.
Finch was shot and killed in June 2017 in the 2300 block of Farmer Street in west Charlotte. Finch was reportedly in the area to buy an upgraded iPhone and used an app where he thought he was meeting a legitimate seller.
McCain pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous robbery. McCain will testify against Wilson as part of the deal. He faces up to 11.5 years in prison.
“It’s not justice, but at least he’s going away,” said Tara Finch, Zachary’s mother. “I hope that every night when they close their eyes they see his face.”
Wilson was arrested in July and McCain was arrested in October.
Wilson pleaded not guilty two weeks ago and will go to trial on a first-degree murder charge.
“I want him to go to jail for a really long time, and if that means I have to go to trial, then I’ll go to trial,” said Finch. “It’s disgusting. It makes your stomach turn.”
Wilson’s attorney previously asked the judge to continue the arraignment to another date.
Finch was a senior at the University of the Cumberlands (UC) in Williamsburg, Ky., and a member of the Patriots baseball team, the University says.
To honor Finch’s love for baseball, and his position on the University of Cumberlands’ baseball team, many who attended Finch’s funeral wore University of Cumberlands’ baseball t-shirts.
After Finch’s killing, police opened 14 “exchange zones” at QuikTrip convenience stores where people can more safely conduct online transactions.
Wilson is being tried as an adult.
“But to move on, you don’t move on, you don’t move through this,” said Finch. “This is a part of who we are.”
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