In the early morning hours of a Friday in May 2014, 47-year-old Vincent B. Darbenzio, a cab driver in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was shot and killed while on the job. He had been working for McCarthy Flowered Cab for about a month and was found deceased in his vehicle on Crown Avenue with two gunshot wounds to his head. The discovery of his body hanging from the driver's side door brought a tragic end to what seemed like an ordinary fare.
The investigation quickly led police to 16-year-old Aazis Richardson from Newark, New Jersey. Investigators traced a call for the cab to a residence where Richardson was staying. They found him hiding in the attic, along with a handgun. Richardson confessed to the killing, telling police he shot Darbenzio because he believed the driver was taking a longer route to his destination at the Valley View Terrace Apartments in an attempt to overcharge him. Richardson claimed that when Darbenzio didn't listen to his suggested shortcuts, he became angry and shot him twice before stealing $500.
Aazis Richardson was charged as an adult with first, second, and third-degree murder, as well as robbery. At the time of his arrest, he showed no remorse, making callous statements about the victim and his family. In August 2015, then 17-year-old Richardson pleaded guilty to the murder of Vincent Darbenzio. Due to his age at the time of the crime, he was not eligible for the death penalty. In October 2015, a judge sentenced Richardson to 45 years to life in prison. During the sentencing, the judge compared Richardson's demeanor to that of Charles Manson but opted against a life sentence without parole because of his age, making him eligible for parole when he is 62 years old.
