A Macomb County jury convicted a Farmington Hills man of voluntary manslaughter and felony-firearm possession in the shooting death of his sister during a dipsute outside of their Sterling Heights family business.
The eight-woman, four-man panel also acquitted Zachary Holston III of second-degree murder in the death of Rita Evans, 54, late Thursday afternoon following about 14 hours of deliberations over two days and a five-day trial in Macomb Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.
The jury informed Servitto at about 11 a.m. Thursday they were “at a standstill,” and the judge recited the deadlocked jury instructions to them. The verdict came five hours later.
Holston is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 7.
He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, with a top minimum term of 10 years, and an additional mandatory two years for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Servitto denied a request by Macomb prosecutors to revoke Holston’s $500,000 bond and remand him to jail to await sentencing, adding Holston can remain on house arrest monitored by a GPS tether.
Holston maintained his innocence, claiming he shot Evans in self-defense while prosecutors sought the murder conviction on the contention he escalated a shoving match into a shoot-out and fired first.
Holston shot Evans in the parking lot of Kath Khemicals, a small hand-soap producer located at 19 Mile and Mound roads, shortly before 9 a.m. May 26, 2023 during an argument that became a scuffle over the company’s decision to fire Evans on allegations she stole money. Holston was the CEO, and Evans was the chief financial officer.
Holston was tasked by his father, the company owner, with informing Evans and her daughter, Deja Lee, of their firings, and attempted to hand them termination letters that morning.
Minutes after being told over the phone by Holston she was being let to, an angry Evans arrived at the business.
Evans was accosting him after he exited the building, walked to his vehicle to leave and tried to hand Evans her letter, which “she threw back in my face,” Holston testified.
The argument turned into a scuffle alongside Holston’s pickup pickup truck, as Holston said he was trying to back away. According to Holston, Lee told him they were going “f—” him up and that he wasn’t leaving. Lee can be seen in security video attempting to keep the Holston and Evans separated.
Holston then pulled out his Glock handgun from his sweatshirt pocket and held it at his side.
“You ain’t the only one that has one,”responded Evans, who was about 10 to 15 feet away. She dropped her purse to the ground and began to retrieve her Glock.
Meanwhile, Holston raised his gun and fired at Evans. Evans shot back.
The shoot-out
Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Jeff Plymale argued shot first as Evans was retrieving the gun. But Holston testified they shot simultaneously, and he shot in self defense because he believed he was in danger, Evans was going to shoot him.
Holston showed remorse while testifying, saying he was “devastated” and “sad” about killing his sister, and came to tears multiple times.
Security video viewed from a distance away did not seem to provide conclusive evidence as to whether Holston shot first. The jury asked for blown-up views of the video.
Fifteen shots were fired, 10 by Holston and five by Evans, who was first grazed on the shoulder and then struck in the chest.
Holston immediately fled the scene but remained in the area and was arrested by police who arrived quickly following 911 calls.
Evans was pronounced dead at Beaumont Hospital in Troy.
Holston was a reserve police officer in Detroit and Redford, and said he was licensed to carry a gun, which he did regularly since 1997. He has been free after posting a $500,000 bond.
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