A Lompoc Superior Court jury found a man guilty of two first-degree murder charges in the shootings of his wife and nephew during a dispute sparked by her television viewing habits.

On Monday morning, jurors returned guilty verdicts in the trial of Zavian Chappell, 62, of Lompoc. They also deemed as true sentencing enhancements for use of a firearm and committing multiple murders. 

He shot his wife and nephew early April 30, 2023 at the home on the 1600 block of West Pine Street in Lompoc, authorities said.

Police found 59-year-old Cassandra Chappell (also known as Cassandra Butler and Cassandra “CeCe” Sims) dead inside the home. 

A nephew she had raised, 29-year-old Tyree Sims McPherson, was found on a neighbor’s porch. He had multiple gunshot wounds and died two days later at Marian Regional Medical Center.

Zavian Chappell drove to the Lompoc Police Department where he was interviewed hours after the shootings.

During the trial, jurors watched a video interview with detectives and listened to an audio recording from a recorded phone call with his out-of-state daughter revealing an enraged Chappell before and during the shootings.

Jurors heard directly from Chappell since he testified in his own defense during the trial. 

Evidence also included multiple social media posts which prosecuting attorneys dubbed “a digital tantrum” made by Chappell and revealing his rage about his wife and nephew.

Early April 30, 2023, he entered the bedroom where his wife slept and changed the channel from “Judge Judy” to “Ridiculousness,” prompting her to switch it back. 

An angry Chappell punched the television, sparking the dispute that ended with the shootings.

But prosecuting attorneys challenged Chappell’s version of the incident.

“He fed you a lot of lies, ladies and gentlemen, on the stand,” Deputy District Attorney Lindsey Bittner said during closing arguments. 

She argued the defendant’s blame turned to rage targeted at his family including using disparaging names for his wife and nephew.

Contending jurors should reach first-degree murder verdicts, Bittner pointed out Chappell fetched the gun and returned, involving premeditation and deliberation “in action every step of the way.”

“It’s a choice to build to murder,” Bittner added.

Prosecutors also disputed claims that Chappell acted in self defense. 

“The very idea that the defendant wants you to believe that he murdered his family because he was acting in self defense or was provoked is disgusting and insulting,” Deputy District Attorney Jordan Lockey said in her rebuttal. “Not insulting just to the two people he murdered but to your common sense. It’s not only unreasonable, it is an outright lie.” 

They contended Chappell had selective memory. 

“He actually remembered a whole lot when it helped him, but forgot the things that would hurt him,” Lockey said.

She urged jurors to note the lack of fear in Chappell’s voice in the recorded phone call, “the best evidence or what happened that night.” 

Chappell’s attorneys Megan Leisz and Sydney Bennett said their client wanted to be appreciated by his wife.

The fight about “Judge Judy” symbolized Chappell’s wife’s disregard for his well-being, Leisz added.

He could not sleep with Judge Judy shouting about interpersonal conflicts, Leisz said during closing arguments.

“He wanted peace and humor, not conflict and misery,” the defense attorney added.

Chappell also claimed his wife struck him during the fight, an act his attorney says felt like another betrayal and an example of her disdain for him. 

He claimed he feared the nephew, who weighed roughly 100 pounds more than Chappell. 

“Zavian viewed Tyree as a weapon and he viewed him as Cassandra’s weapon,” Leisz said, adding Chappell’s wife used her nephew’s strength and youth to intimidate her husband.

They claim Chappell’s route to flee the house left him feeling trapped and leading him to fire the weapon.

They also claimed he wasn’t thinking rationally and snapped during the dispute.

“Zavian did not plan to kill his wife that morning. He did not plan to kill Tyree,” Leisz added.

“He was not thinking rationally and you can bear ear-witness to that in his voice,” Leisz said.

In reaching the first-degree murder verdicts, jurors rejecting finding him guilty of lesser charges of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter.

A sentencing hearing before Judge Stephen Foley is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. May 15 in Lompoc.

Chappell, who remains in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail, faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.