PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A 26-year-old West Palm Beach man has been found guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder in the shooting of one of the twin brothers in 2017 in Palm Beach Gardens.
A jury found Darin Byrd guilty in the death of 21-year-old Brandon Allen as well as two counts of tampering with physical evidence Wednesday. He was found not guilty first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter of Brian Allen for. Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Gillen has set a hearing for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday before sentencing.
His accomplice, Jullian Cathirell, 21 at the time, was sentenced to two life sentences in July 2022.
On 9:23 p.m. March 15, 2016, Palm Beach County Rescue found two bodies after responding to a brush fire on the Beeline Highway.
In an arrest affidavit, deputies said a cooperating witness blamed the two men on the murders. On March 14 the witness said Cathirell, who had an ongoing feud with Brandon Allen, got into a fight with the twins over household issues in an apartment near the intersection of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard and Congress Avenue. The location was near Palm Beach Outlets.
The witness, according to the affidavit, said Cathirell pulled out a handgun and shot Brian Allen in the stomach and then Brandon Allen in the forearm and when Brandon Allen tried to escape Byrd blocked him from leaving and pushed him to the ground. The witness then said he heard two more gunshots and Cathirell came out of the apartment and said the brothers were dead.
The bodies were wrapped in sheets, blankets and plastic, and stored in the bathtub until the following evening, according to information the witness gave and was recorded in the affidavit.
Investigators said bleach and cleaning products were used to try and hide evidence.