Brazen Lexington double homicide was retaliation for gang remarks, detective testifies
A daylight shooting in October that killed two and injured a third in the middle of a busy Lexington intersection was an act of retaliation after derogatory comments were made about members of a gang, a detective testified Thursday.
Dwayne Slaughter and Darrian Webb, both 18 years old, died on Oct. 19 after a a group of men in a light-colored S.U.V. pulled up beside them at the corner of Winchester Road and East Seventh Street and fired multiple rounds into their car, detective Steven Cobb said. A third victim, who was in the car with Slaughter and Webb, suffered a gunshot wound to the back but survived.
Investigators recovered 37 shell casings of three different calibers at the scene of the shooting, Cobb said.
De’Shaun Armor, 20, is charged with first-degree assault, wanton endangerment and two counts of murder in connection with the shooting. John George Boulder IV, 20, is charged with facilitation of wanton endangerment and two counts of facilitation of murder.
Armor and Boulder are each also charged with criminal mischief and tampering with evidence in the case.
A juvenile, whose name has not been released because of his age, was also charged with two counts of murder and counts of first-degree assault, wanton endangerment and tampering with evidence, according to police.
During a preliminary hearing in Fayette County District Court Thursday, Cobb lined out the evidence that led to Boulder and Armor being charged. After hearing the evidence and arguments by defense attorneys for the two charged, Judge John Tackett found that there was enough probable cause to move the all of the charges on to a grand jury.
The car the victims were in, a dark-colored Toyota Camry, was crossing Winchester Road to East Seventh Street when the suspects pulled up beside them and opened fire, Cobb said. The S.U.V. then fled northeast on East Seventh.
A police officer was at a nearby Speedway gas station when shots rang out and was quick to respond, Cobb said.
In the days after the shooting, investigators learned that the juvenile in the S.U.V. was also thought to have been involved in a shooting on East Fifth Street at Chestnut Street the day prior to the Winchester Road shooting, Cobb said.
On Oct. 20, police spotted the S.U.V. involved in the shooting and tried to pull it over. The driver, later identified as Armor, fled the car, Cobb said.
The S.U.V. was stolen and Armor is accused of trying to destroy trace evidence inside the vehicle, Cobb said. Armor also had plans to destroy the vehicle, Cobb said.
After speaking with witnesses, investigators believe that the Oct. 16 shooting was retaliation after videos and posts making derogatory statements about a gang were posted by Webb, Cobb said.
A witness told police that they saw Boulder, Armor, the juvenile charged and another person getting into the S.U.V. about 15 minutes prior to the shooting, Cobb said.
Boulder’s defense attorney argued that the word of a confidential witness was not enough to charge his client in the case, but Tackett ultimately found that there was enough evidence to move the case forward.
A grand jury will hear evidence decide whether to indict Armor and Boulder and move the case on Fayette County Circuit Court to be prepared for trial.
Tensions were high after Thursday’s hearing and a fight nearly broke out outside the courtroom. Apparent family and friends of people involved in the shooting began yelling and rushing at each other, but Fayette County sheriff’s deputies quickly rushed in to keep the groups separate and usher them outside.
Boulder is one of three people facing charges in a separate Lexington homicide. He is charged with murder, first-degree assault and robbery in the shooting Dec. 10 death of 23-year-old Damontrial Fulgham on Osage Court. That case was sent to a grand jury in January.
This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 4:47 PM.
