Will Serve 23 Years in Prison

ST. LOUIS, MO (August 1, 2024) — Darius Griffin, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Vernell Julion, 21, on July 21, 2022, in the 1100 block of North Kingshighway Blvd. in the city’s Central West End. Griffin will serve 20 years in prison for the murder and an additional three years for armed criminal action.

On the day of the murder, Griffin was parked in the parking lot of Pop’s Grill and Market on North Kingshighway waiting for Julion. Griffin believed Julion was responsible for murdering his 16-year-old cousin two weeks earlier. Wearing a blue ski mask and armed with an AK-47, Griffin waited until Julion was alone in an alley at the back of the building, ran after him and shot him repeatedly. Julion sustained 18 gunshot wounds according to the Medical Examiner.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras. When shown photographs from the shooting, Griffin acknowledged that he was the shooter.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Circuit Attorney Kerri Davis.

“Revenge killings merely perpetuate violence and are indicative of a lack of faith in our criminal justice system,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “Given the chance, that system would have dealt appropriately with the victim’s alleged crime, as it has now dealt with the defendant’s.”

###