Richard Swygert, a 22-year-old man, has been charged in connection to a deadly shooting in Queens that occurred in June 2021. Swygert, who was already incarcerated on Rikers Island, now faces first-degree murder charges alongside Jayson Scott, the son of Grammy-nominated rapper Remy Ma. The victim of the shooting, Darius Guillebeaux, was fatally shot in broad daylight at the intersection of 148th Street and Rockaway Boulevard in Springfield Gardens.
This recent charge adds to Swygert’s already extensive criminal record, as he was previously arrested for two other murders that took place in 2021. In January, he was apprehended for the slaying of 20-year-old Robert Williams outside the Umbrella Hotel in Kew Gardens. During that incident, another man was injured, and Swygert faced multiple charges, including attempted murder and assault.
In August, Swygert was arrested for the murder of 22-year-old Dominick Malivert at the K-Show Bar in Flushing. A woman was also shot and injured during the incident. Swygert provided false identification at the time of his arrest, leading to additional charges of false personation.
Swygert remains in custody without bail for all three murder cases. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 8. Jayson Scott, his co-defendant in the June shooting, is also expected to face charges next week.
Remy Ma, whose real name is Reminisce Smith, has expressed support for her son and maintains his innocence. She has requested privacy as their legal team works to prove his innocence. Remy Ma, known for her involvement with Fat Joe’s group, Terror Squad, in the 90s, has a history of violent arrests, including a six-year prison sentence for a near-fatal shooting in 2007.
The motive behind the June shooting and any potential connection between the defendants and the victim remain unclear. Darius Guillebeaux had previously been indicted in a drug trafficking investigation called “Operation Heat Wave” led by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
