Family of murdered North Texas man want teen suspect charged as adult
DALLAS - The family of a man murdered while he was putting groceries into his truck at a Dallas Costco is calling for justice.
Police say Ali Elbanna was shot and killed last November by a 16-year-old who was trying to rob him at the Costco on Park Lane near Greenville Avenue.
The family wants the teen to be tried as an adult.
The hearing to determine if the teen should be tried as an adult was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but it got postponed.
That and the bond being cut in half for at least one other defendant prompted the family to try to shine a spotlight on the case.
ORIGINAL STORY: Police investigating deadly robbery outside Dallas Costco
The wife and five children of 60-year-old Ali Elbanna gathered outside the juvenile courthouse Tuesday. They are calling for the 16-year-old suspect charged with firing the shot that killed their father to be tried as an adult.
Stephanie Elbanna says her dad was loading up supplies for his Arlington store in the Dallas Costco parking lot just before 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 15.
Three other suspects were arrested in the robbery. 19-year-old Jacoby Tatum was later cleared by a grand jury.
An arrest affidavit says 17-year-old James Levels and 17-year-old Janiya Miller held up two women at gunpoint before the Costco murder.
Court records show at least one suspect had bond reduced from $500,000 to $250,000.
Four teens murdered 60-year-old in Dallas Costco parking lot, affidavit says
Sayed Elbanna, Ali’s son, said the 16-year-old is old enough to be tried as an adult for the murder of his father.
"Taking someone’s life like that should not be a slap on the wrist. Any 16-year-old should know if murder is good or bad. They know better," he said.
Sayed believes the teen should be convicted of capital murder and receive a life sentence.
"This man should be put behind bars for life and have everything taken from him," he said. "He shouldn’t be able to walk around anywhere."
The hearing is now set for July 8.