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Palo Alto Hookah Bar Owner Guilty Of Girlfriend's Murder

SAN JOSE (BCN) -- A Santa Clara County Superior Court jury on Thursday found a Palo Alto hookah bar owner guilty of murder for killing his girlfriend and setting her body on fire in October 2009.

Bulos "Paul" Zumot, 37, who owns Da Hookah Spot, was convicted of first-degree murder and arson for the death of 29-year-old real estate agent Jennifer Schipsi.

Prosecutors claimed the couple had a history of domestic violence and that Zumot killed Schipsi and set their Addison Avenue home on fire with her body inside on Oct. 15, 2009.

The verdict was read in a San Jose courtroom about 3:15 p.m. The jury, which consisted of four men and eight women, had begun deliberating on Wednesday.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

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