On the night of February 4, 2025, Mauricio Lawrence, a 33-year-old Black / African American male, was fatally shot in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tennis Road. Boston police officers responded to a call for a person shot and found Lawrence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency responders transported him to Boston Medical Center, but he succumbed to his injuries en route.
An investigation into the shooting led to the
arrests of three individuals. In early March, Boston Police, in conjunction with U.S. Marshals, apprehended 29-year-old Shovan Darby of East Weymouth and 29-year-old Roberto Orlando Taylor of Dorchester. Darby was arrested on a warrant for murder, while Taylor, who was already in custody on unrelated charges, faced charges of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Further investigation revealed a calculated plot allegedly leading to Lawrence's death. A third suspect, 24-year-old Jair Meeks of Mattapan, was arrested in late May and charged with accessory before the fact. Surveillance footage from hours before the shooting reportedly shows Meeks entering Lawrence's workplace to record him, while Darby and Taylor waited in a nearby vehicle.
Authorities allege that Darby and Taylor followed Lawrence from his job. As Lawrence approached his apartment, Taylor allegedly ambushed him from behind and fired multiple shots before fleeing the scene with Darby. A text message from Darby to Meeks the following morning, stating "it's complete," was also cited by investigators. The three men are facing charges in Suffolk Superior Court.
