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North Andover Rape, Robbery Suspect Charged With Lynn Murder

LYNN (CBS) -- The man charged in a Monday night rape and robbery at a convenience store in North Andover has been charged with the murder of a Lynn pizza delivery driver shortly before.

Court paperwork viewed Wednesday by WBZ-TV reveals he may have admitted to killing someone earlier in the night during the horrific attack at the store.

Brian Brito
Brian Brito hid his face with a towel as State Police troopers led him to court on March 28, 2017. (WBZ-TV)

Brian Brito, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was officially charged Wednesday in the Lynn shooting of 24-year-old Sina Zangiband of Salem.

"This was a brazen, senseless act that not only took the life of a hard-working young man, but also frightened community members," Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said. "I am grateful to the many law enforcement officers who worked so diligently to obtain this warrant so that we may begin the process of securing justice on behalf of Mr. Zangiband and his family."

Blodgett said Brito will be arraigned on the murder charge Thursday.

Brito had previously been identified as the North Andover suspect. He was charged Tuesday with masked armed robbery, aggravated rape, and kidnapping.

He was ordered held without bail Tuesday.

The 21-year-old is now at the center of both brutal crimes, which investigators say took place just hours apart.

Zangiband, who worked for Atha's Pizza, was found shot several times in his car in front of St. Pius Catholic Elementary on Bowler Street.

Sina Zangiband
Sina Zangiband (Image from Facebook)

On Wednesday night, devastated family members and friends returned to the spot where he was killed.

"Why kill him? Why?" Sina's father Ali Zangiband asked. "So sad. Very bad heart. For every day. Forever I have the bad heart. I have a bad life for future for myself, for my family too. I'm never happy."

The devastated family said Brito's arrest is not going to bring them closure.

"What's that going to bring?" Sina's best friend Marven Abda said. "The guy's still going to be there. He's still going to be alive, he's going to be in jail. We're going to pay taxes to keep him healthy, to eat."

Brito was stopped in Peabody for driving a vehicle matching one seen at the time of the murder. He was arrested for allegedly driving with a revoked license and illegally carrying a gun.

Lynn shooting Sina Zangiband
Sina Zangibandwas shot and killed inside this car in Lynn March 27, 2017. (WBZ-TV)

North Andover Police say the North Andover attack happened just 20 minutes earlier.

The court documents paint a disturbing picture of the attack at the Richdale Variety Store on Chickering Road, which took place around 10:18 p.m. Monday.

Paperwork reveals that, just before closing time, a masked man with a gun forced his way inside.

The clerk told authorities that the attacker ordered her to take off her clothes and ordered her into a side room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

She says he stole cash and lottery scratch-off tickets, before making a chilling admission.

"Thank you for making this easy, I had to kill someone today, that made it hard," he said, according to the clerk in the police report. "I'm going to leave you some money."

north andover convenience store rape robbery
The North Andover convenience store where police said Brian Brito sexually assaulted a clerk. (WBZ-TV)

According to the report, Brito threatened to kill the clerk if she did not cooperate--that included not calling police for an hour.

But the clerk called 911 as soon as Brito took off.

When police captured Brito, they say they found a mask and scratch-off tickets in his car.

He was arraigned on the gun and driving charges Tuesday, and will return to Peabody court for an arraignment on April 3.

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