Report: Wayne Man Guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter in Grandmother's Stabbing Death

A Wayne man was convicted of aggravated manslaughter Tuesday in connection with the killing of his 85-year-old grandmother three years ago, NorthJersey.com reported.

Mark Dubas, now 27, was accused of fatally stabbing his grandmother, Barbara Tyzbir, in 2011 when she refused to give him money for drugs, the report said.

According to the report, Dubas was acquitted of murder, armed robbery, and criminal weapons possession charges, and was instead convicted on aggravated manslaughter, theft, and possession of heroin in connection with the incident.

Defense attorneys said Dubas was a longtime drug user with a history of mental illness, and said he was high on Prozac and heroin when he stabbed his grandmother, ransacked her home, stole jewelry, and fled in her car, the report said.

Prosecutors argued that Dubas knowingly killed his grandmother, based on evidence like him lying to police about the incident the next morning, the report said.

State Superior Court Judge Raymond Reddin ruled that there was reasonable doubt as to whether or not he knowingly stabbed his grandmother, leading to the conviction on lesser charges, the report said.

Dubas faces 10 to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on July 25, it said.