In the early hours of August 10, 2014, a tragic event unfolded in a Lowell, Massachusetts, apartment that would claim the lives of two brothers. Joseph "Joe Joe" Thomas Callahan, a 29-year-old White male, and his older brother, Keith Callahan, 35, were fatally shot inside their residence on Andrews Street. The brothers were the sons of a retired Lowell police sergeant, Richard Callahan. Neighbors reported hearing a barrage of bullets and alerted the authorities.
When police arrived at the second-floor apartment around 2:30 a.m., they discovered a scene of violence that had irrevocably shattered a family.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to a home invasion. Authorities released a sketch of a suspect described as an Asian man in his mid-20s to mid-30s. The breakthrough in the case came when investigators found a cigarette butt at the scene, which provided a crucial DNA profile. This profile was matched to Dara Poum, a 28-year-old man from Chelsea. Further investigation revealed that Poum had allegedly entered the Callahan brothers' apartment after 2 a.m. on the morning of the murders, demanding to see someone who was not present. A struggle ensued, during which both Joseph and Keith Callahan were shot.
Dara Poum was arrested on August 20, 2014, initially on an unrelated warrant for failing to appear in court. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, armed burglary, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Investigators located the firearm used in the killings buried in a garden behind the residence of his girlfriend's father, which was two doors down from the Callahan's apartment. Ballistics testing confirmed it was the murder weapon. Additionally, sneakers belonging to Poum were found to have Keith Callahan's blood on them.
In September 2019, after a thorough trial, Dara Poum was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, as well as armed home invasion and possession of a firearm without a license. The conviction brought a measure of closure to the Callahan family and the Lowell community, though the senseless loss of two young men, both fathers, left a lasting scar. Joseph Callahan was remembered as a loyal and caring man, the loving father of two young sons. His and his brother's deaths served as a grim reminder of the devastating impact of violent crime.
