SAN FRANCISCO—On May 9, 2025, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office disclosed that a conviction was obtained against Zion Young, 24, and Fagamalama Pasene, 31, after trial by jury for killing a man, they were trying to rob in Portola. Young was convicted of first-degree murder (PC 187(a)) and attempted robbery (PC 664/211) with an allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm that caused great bodily injury or death (PC 12022.53(d)) found true.
Pasene was also convicted of first-degree murder (PC 187(a)) and attempted armed robbery (PC 664/211), and an allegation that the principal was armed with a firearm at the time of the incident was found true.
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, on May 7, 2020, at approximately 8 p.m., the San Francisco Police Department found a man killed by a gunshot wound near the intersection of Colby Street and Felton Street in the Portola District.
Surveillance video showed a newer model black Honda CR-V going up Felton Street before slowing and making a partial turn onto Colby Street. The vehicle stopped and the front passenger, later identified as Young, exited. The victim was seen walking along the sidewalk of Felton Street. Young ran up behind the victim and pointed a firearm at him in an attempted robbery of a cell phone.
The victim took a swipe at the firearm instead of handing over his phone and Young fired twice at the victim, killing him. He ran back to the waiting Honda, re-entered the front passenger seat, and the car sped away from the scene.
The day after the murder, authorities received an anonymous tip that the shooter was Young. Public and police records showed an associated address and phone number for Young and a prior arrest for a firearm where he was with Pasene. Using this information, police pulled surveillance video from addresses associated with both defendants. Video from the address associated with Pasene showed him leave in the vehicle used in the murder approximately an hour before the killing, return after, and methodically wipe down the shooter’s side of the car.
Video from region of Young’s home showed him wearing the same distinctive clothing as the shooter walking down the block from the direction of his house and then getting into the black Honda CR-V 20 minutes before the murder.
Young was arrested on May 12, 2020, and a search warrant was executed at his address. During the execution of that warrant, a blue semi-automatic Smith and Wesson firearm was seized. The gun was submitted to the SFPD Crime Lab for ballistics testing. It was compared to two casings recovered from the scene of the homicide. The examination revealed that the casings from the homicide scene had been fired from the Smith and Wesson. DNA from the gun also matched Young.
Analysis of Young and Pasene’s call records and GPS data showed Pasene leaving the address associated with him, traveling to pick up Young, and the two of them traveling to the location of the homicide together. The records also showed four calls between them in the hour prior to the murder. The defendants were tried together for murder under a felony murder theory.
“The victim’s murder was a senseless tragedy,” said Assistant District Attorney Dane Reinstedt. “The jury’s verdict – on the fifth anniversary of his murder – hopefully brings some sense of closure and justice to his still grieving family. My thoughts are with them. I want to thank the jury for their service, attention, and care in this case.”
Both defendants are currently in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for September 2025.
