Man pleads guilty, others sentenced in Chinese delivery driver murder

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Another man charged in the murder of a Chinese delivery driver pleaded guilty today. Others charged in the case were sentenced following the plea.

Mustafaa Rashid Friend, 18, pleaded guilty to second degree murder charges. In a plea deal,  he also pleaded guilty to shooting into an occupied vehicle. He faces between 23 and almost 32 years in prison.

Mustafaa Rashid Friend (Source: New Hanover Co. Jail)

Friend is one of several accused in the killing of Zhen Bo Liu that happened three years ago. All of the six suspects were under the age of 21 at the time of the murder. Four of the suspects including Friend have either been convicted or pleaded guilty on murder charges in the shooting death. Cornell Haugabook was convicted last month and sentenced to life.

Rasheed Thompson pleaded guilty following Haugabook’s conviction. Thompson was sentenced today to between 10 and just over 13 years.

Manije Johnson-Martin pleaded guilty to robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree murder two years ago. As part of his plea deal, he would be sentenced to between 10 and more than 13 years in prison. In court today, however, he refused to testify truthfully, according to F.T. Norton with the StarNews. Because of that, Norton said the judge tacked on 18 months to his sentencing.

Marvin White and Nathaniel Lawrence were each indicted on lesser charges. White was sentenced to between two and almost four years in prison today. Lawrence will be sentenced later this month.