Homicide victim sustained 15 to 25 blows to the head, investigators say

Zachary Young was beaten and kicked repeatedly by groups of people during an incident last year, police said.

Twice, the assaults knocked him out. He was “barely conscious” after a third beating when police arrived.

“It was… horrible,” one witness told police, when describing the alleged ferocity of one of the attacks.

But Young didn’t hold on.

The 35-year-old died shortly after he was taken to York Hospital around 11:40 p.m. on the night of May 25.

>> Please consider subscribing to support local journalism. 

Blunt force injuries to the head killed him, the York County Coroner’s Office concluded. Investigators believe he took dozens of blows, including injuries to his abdomen, arms and legs.

Three men were charged in the case, with criminal homicide counts against two of them in Young’s death.

And now, two of the suspects will potentially face a trial by jury. The third is on hold due to a scheduling conflict.

Sinsere Overton, 21, and Na’Qui Johnson, 20, both of York City, and Daniel Mamary, 20, of Springettsbury Township, went before a district court judge Wednesday for back-to-back-to-back preliminary hearings in their cases.

Overton and Johnson are both charged with homicide along with a felony count of aggravated assault, a misdemeanor count of simple assault and conspiracy on each of the counts.

Mamary is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and two conspiracy counts.

A York County grand jury recommended the charges in November following a two-month investigation, the district attorney’s office said.

The attack: The situation started when a man saw Young rolling cigarettes on a couch in a rooming house in the 200 block of West Jackson Street, York City police said in charging documents.

MORE:Who was Morgan Daub, the woman at heart of family's planned suicide?

MORE:York City Police commissioner forum to focus on Group Violence Intervention

MORE:Private services planned for Jon and Tim Kinsley, victims of avalanche

When the man realized Young didn’t live there, he confronted him about it. Young left and walked down the block with the other man following him and calling 911, according to police. At the same time, the man called out to a group of several people, which allegedly included Johnson and Mamary, to stop Young.

The group was heading into a party at a home at the end of the block, police said, but a number of them heeded the man’s call and pushed Young to the ground. They then punched and kicked him while he was down for nearly two minutes and not fighting back.

The attack went on even while the man, who was on the phone with 911, told them to stop, according to charging documents. The call lasted about 11 minutes, investigators said..

When Young was knocked out the first time, the group stopped and dispersed, police said.

He regained consciousness a short time later and tried to get up and leave but apparently couldn’t. Investigators said Young was heard moaning on the audio recording of the 911 call.

Johnson and Mamary allegedly returned and Overton allegedly came out of his house where the party was held, and police allege the three beat and kicked Young again. They allegedly didn’t heed pleas to stop by the man on the phone with 911.

Charging documents allege Mamary kicked Young in the chest. Witnesses also accused him of taking photos or video of the attack.

During a later police interview, he allegedly admitted to punching Young two or three times and kicking him in the side once.

Young went unconscious a second time, and the three left him, according to charging documents.

He came to again and started reaching for his backpack. The man on the 911 call kicked the bag away, believing he might have been reaching for a weapon, and a cigarette roller fell out. Young told the man he wanted to get his phone, police said in charging documents.

He was visibly swollen, bleeding and barely conscious by this time, police said.

'Horrible': Overton, Johnson and Mamary then came back, and police alleged Overton and Johnson were the primary instigators in resuming the beating.

Johnson, they alleged, struck Young in the head with the cigarette roller while witnesses said he cursed at him for breaking into houses. Overton allegedly pummeled him repeatedly.

The man who made the 911 call estimated Overton allegedly struck Young 15 to 25 times in the head, neck and face. The strikes were described as hard, really loud and “horrible,” charging documents show.

Witnesses' descriptions and statements helped police identify Overton, Johnson and Mamary in the attack, charging documents show.

Overton and several witnesses and people involved allegedly went back into his house after the third assault as police arrived, according to the court documents.

>> Please consider subscribing to support local journalism. 

The three were arrested and jailed within a few days after the charges were filed.

Headed to trial: During Wednesday’s hearings, Johnson and Mamary both stipulated the evidence was sufficient to take the cases to a jury trial.

District Court Judge Adrian Boxley Sr. agreed and advanced their cases to the York County Court of Common Pleas. They’re scheduled to be arraigned there March 8.

Overton’s case was placed on hold temporarily.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Kara Bowser explained that Overton's attorney wasn’t available for the hearing since he was called to a jury trial in another county.

She and Boxley agreed they couldn’t proceed without counsel there to represent Overton.

“This is a serious case, and I really would not want to continue without an attorney,” Boxley said.

Overton’s preliminary hearing will be rescheduled.

He and Johnson are both held at the York County Prison without bail due to the homicide charges. Mamary is being held on $150,000 bail, according to court documents.

— Reach Aimee Ambrose at aambrose@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @aimee_TYD.