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Third man charged in February Mattapan death, allegedly helped coordinate fatal shooting

Third man charged in February Mattapan death, allegedly helped coordinate fatal shooting

Boston Globe2 days ago

Darby and Taylor were both charged with first-degree murder in Suffolk Superior Court on May 8. All three men are due back in court on June 17 for pre-trial hearings, the statement said.
Surveillance footage from the evening before the shooting captured Meeks arriving at Lawrence's workplace to film him, while Darby and Taylor waited nearby in a Honda Accord, the statement said.
Hours later, when Lawrence left work, Darby and Taylor followed him home, and dash-cam audio from their car recorded Meeks giving instructions on how to proceed with the shooting, according to the statement.
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He told them to 'wrap [the gun] up in a bag' to contain shell casings, switch the Accord's rims to alter its appearance, and cover disguise the license plate with special tape, the statement said.
Just before 11:30 p.m., as Lawrence approached his apartment door, Taylor came up from behind and shot him. ShotSpotter technology recorded 18 gunshots fired in seven seconds, according to the statement. Taylor then returned to the car, and the pair fled the scene, Darby behind the wheel.
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Responding officers found Lawrence suffering multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead while being taken by ambulance to Boston Medical Center, the statement said.
The following morning, Darby allegedly texted Meeks, 'it's complete.'
'This case presents a chilling sequence of calculated actions,' said District Attorney Kevin Hayden in the statement.
'It also provides an excellent example of investigators pursuing a criminal incident until every person who played a role is identified and brought forward to answer for their conduct.'
Meeks' attorney, Anthony R. Ellison, didn't immediately respond to the Globe's request for comment Thursday night.
Rita Chandler can be reached at

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