Tyrese Harris Found Guilty On Second-Degree Murder Charges In Shooting

MANCHESTER, NH — The jurors in the trial of Tyrese Harris, 23, who faced second-degree murder and other charges, have returned verdicts — guilty on all counts.

Harris fatally shot Dezmel Cardakovic, 45, on South Willow Street in Manchester in 2022 during a road rage incident and then fled the scene.

Deliberations started Tuesday morning and lasted four only hours, and when the charges were read the jury foreman read guilty verdicts on all charges: two second-degree murder charges, reckless conduct, and falsifying physical evidence.

The trial began last Tuesday with the jurors being taken outside the Hillsborough County Superior Courthouse and shown a similar truck that Dezmel Cardakovic was driving and the blue Honda CR-V Harris was driving. Jurors were asked to sit in the driver's seat of the Honda to gain a perspective of what Harris saw in his rearview mirror. The defense, throughout the trial, made a case that the mere size of the truck and the horn blowing created a fearful situation.

The prosecution and the defense agree on many things, including that Harris failed to stop at a light and cut off the truck. Both vehicles continued south and the video played in court depicts the truck driver blowing his horn several times.

Harris throws a small metal bottle at the truck, which evidence photos showed had ended up at the base of the front windshield.

When Harris stopped the Honda occupied by him and his pregnant girlfriend, Cardakovic got out of his truck. Cardakovic’s young son and nephew watched as he walked up to the Honda.

Several witnesses agree that the driver’s window was partially down and Cardakovic spit. Harris pulled a gun from the console of the Honda and fatally shot Cardakovic in the face.

Cardakovic fell backward and according to NH Chief Medical Examiner Jennie Duval, the bullet entered the tip of his nose and exited the back right side of the neck. Cardakovic bled to death from the wound and died minutes later.

One witness said that Cardakovic reached through the open window, however, multiple other witnesses contradicted his testimony. Witnesses say Cardakovic tried the door handle of the locked driver's side door and was shot. Harris then immediately fled the scene with his girlfriend in the front seat and was followed by a man in a white Range Rover at speeds of up to 100 mph.

The person following Harris lost sight of him on 293. Harris drove to an apartment building on Cartier Street, where video shows him exit the vehicle in a red sweatshirt carrying a laundry basket and entering the building.

After an extended time, he left the building in different clothes and didn’t have a laundry basket. He left Cartier Street in a different vehicle. The firearm from the shooting was never located but it is believed Harris brought it into the building.

Harris and his girlfriend were eventually located and stopped on Cilley Road by police who had them under surveillance. Harris was taken into custody on other charges that were eventually upgraded.

Throughout the trial, the defense made a case this was self-defense and that Harris feared for his and his girlfriend's life and their unborn baby. Defense attorneys said he drove fast to escape the person following him and went to the apartment, where he cried and was scared.

Prosecutors from the attorney general’s office said Harris shot Cardakovic because he disrespected him. During the trial, they also continually pointed out Harris and the girlfriend never called the police.

A key piece of evidence was a jailhouse recorded call between Harris and his mother. On the phone call, he spoke of being disrespected when Cardakovic spit on him.

“Without hesitation, he reached down for his gun, raised it, and aimed it at the face, and then he executed Dzemal over spit and his own hurt pride.”

As the verdict was read, Harris stood and stared straight ahead and showed no emotion. After the four guilty verdicts were read, he continued to show no emotion.

Several people were in the courtroom on the defendant's side of the courtroom and remained silent.

On the victim’s side of the courtroom, several people sat and listened and were then escorted to a room reserved for them in the courthouse.

The sentencing for Harris will be scheduled at a future date when he faces up to life in prison.

Adam Wood, an assistant attorney general, explained Harris would only be sentenced on one of the two second-degree murder charges. This will be determined at or before the formal sentencing.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news