Inset: Abdelmagid “Majet” Elzubeir (Des Moines Police Department). Background: Police at the home where Abdelmagid Elzubeir was fatally stabbed by his brother (KCCI).
An Iowa teenager, now 17, has been sentenced to several years in prison for the killing of his older brother, who was 19. The fatal incident stemmed from frustrations over being “picked on” by the victim, according to the youth.
Judge Joseph Seidlin of the Polk County District Court sentenced Mohamed Mutaz Elzubeir on Wednesday to a maximum of 10 years in a state correctional facility for the 2024 killing of his brother Abdelmagid “Majet” Elzubeir. This decision followed a plea deal with prosecutors where Elzubeir agreed to a guilty plea for voluntary manslaughter, initially having faced first-degree murder charges, as per a news release.
The tragic event occurred on June 11, 2024, at the family residence on the 900 block of Oakridge Drive in Des Moines, as reported by police. Responding to a call of a potential stabbing, officers found Abdelmagid Elzubeir with a critical stab wound to his neck upon their arrival.
The victim was transported to UnityPoint Methodist Medical Center for treatment, but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The accused, who was 16 at the time of the assault, is set to turn 18 shortly. Due to his age, a range of sentencing options, such as deferred judgment and probation, were considered. Nonetheless, following recommendations from both the prosecution and defense, the court determined that imprisonment was appropriate given the nature of the crime.
The judge cited numerous circumstances when explaining her decision for putting Mohamed Elzubeir behind bars.
“Mohamed has a longstanding issue with managing his behavior,” noted Judge Seidlin, referencing insights from prosecutors. Seidlin further mentioned that a previous car accident in 2021 resulted in a traumatic brain injury for the defendant, which, according to him, worsened behavioral challenges.
The judge said Mohamed Elzubeir appeared “to do well in a structured environment, and that prison would keep the community safe while providing the opportunity for rehabilitation.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutors said that Mohamed Elzubeir told the court “several times” that he “was guilty” and “had blood on his hands.”
“I stabbed my brother in the neck with a kitchen knife,” he said, per the release. “My older brother had picked on me and bullied me for years.”
Mohamed Elzubeir said the victim was “screaming” at him and then “pushed him” before Mohamed Elzubeir “swung at him with the knife.”
