On Tuesday, Aug. 29, Deion Barros (also known as “D” and “Little D”), age 27, was arraigned on charged including murder for a 2019 Hempstead incident, one week after Taiquan Cullum (also known as “Tay Tay”), age 33 was similarly arraigned, the Nassau County District Attorney announced.
Cullum, age 33, and Barros, age 27, both Hempstead residents, are accused of killing 36-year-old Paul LaRue in 2019 as an act of revenge.
The incident occurred on July 28, 2019.
According to the charges, Cullum was at a Baldwin bar just before 2 a.m. when he was shot at seven times by a man named Jermaine Grant. Grant reportedly believed that Cullum had gotten into a dispute with Grant’s acquaintances.
After his own attempted murder, Cullum, out for revenge, reportedly went to Hempstead to pick up Barros and a gun, and the two went out on a mission to locate the person who shot at him.
The duo drove around Hempstead until they saw LaRue, who was sitting in his car at a red light at the intersection of Clinton and Fulton Streets.
LaRue was a friend of Grant’s at the bar but was not involved in the shooting, said the DA’s Office.
Nonetheless, Cullum and Barros purportedly pulled up alongside LaRue and opened fire.
Barros shot LaRue three times, killing him, and the pair drove off.
Grant was arrested and found guilty of attempted murder in 2022. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Cullum and Barros are both charged with second-degree murder and two counts each of criminal possession of a weapon. Both are felonies.
At his Tuesday, Aug. 22 indictment, Cullum pleaded not guilty. Barros did the same at his arraignment.
Barros is due back in court on Tuesday, Sept. 26; Cullum is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
If convicted, they both face up to 40 years behind bars.
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