Two Men Indicted in 2021 South Jamaica Murder-for-Hire Case

QUEENS, NY—Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arraignment of Jayson Scott and Richard Swygert on charges stemming from the 2021 murder of Darius Guillebeaux in South Jamaica. Scott, accused of being the hired gunman, faces charges of first and second-degree murder, while Swygert is charged with second-degree murder among other counts.

The incident occurred on June 7, 2021, around 7:55 p.m. Guillebeaux was fatally shot at the corner of 148th Street and Rockaway Boulevard. Surveillance footage and cell phone tracking place Scott and Swygert at the crime scene and detailed their movements before and after the shooting, including their pickup and drop-off by a distinctive silver Elantra and a subsequent escape in a red Elantra.

Scott, 23, from the Bronx, was arraigned on a seven-count indictment that includes murder in the first and second degrees and reckless endangerment. Swygert, 22, also from the Bronx, faces similar charges. Both defendants were remanded without bail and are due back in court on July 31.

Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant presided over the arraignments. If convicted, Scott faces life in prison without parole, and Swygert could face up to 25 years. Their arrests and charges highlight the ongoing efforts to curb deadly gun violence in Queens neighborhoods.

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