On a cold December evening in 2008, the life of 16-year-old Barry Eugene Richardson was tragically cut short in Newport News, Virginia. On December 30th, Barry and his 15-year-old friend, Keon Flemming, were walking near Huntington Middle School when they were gunned down in a senseless act of gang violence. Both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene, their lives stolen in an instant.
Barry, a Black male, was born on August 3, 1992, to Beverly Hunt and Fred Richardson.
The investigation into the double homicide would stretch on for years, leaving the families of the two young victims in a painful state of uncertainty. However, the Newport News Police Department, in collaboration with the Hampton Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General, remained persistent in their pursuit of justice. A significant breakthrough in the case finally came with the identification of suspects affiliated with the '36 Street Bang Squad Bloods.' Investigators determined that the teenagers were targeted simply for walking in a neighborhood the gang considered its territory.
The relentless efforts of law enforcement led to the arrests of three individuals in connection with the murders. Floyd Taybron, who was 16 at the time of the killings, was apprehended in June of the following year. In February 2014, police charged Tyrone Batten, who was 15 when the crime occurred. The third suspect, Marcus Williams, was also taken into custody. All three faced charges that included murder and gang participation.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of closure to the grieving families. Marcus Williams, identified as the enforcer for the gang, was sentenced to two life terms plus twenty-three years. Floyd Taybron received an 83-year prison sentence for his role in the slayings. Tyrone Batten, the third and final defendant to be sentenced, was handed a 96-year prison term. The successful prosecution of the three men ensured that those responsible for the deaths of Barry Richardson and Keon Flemming would be held accountable for their violent actions.
