Man sentenced to life in prison for 2017 murder of 1 of 2 twin brothers

A 26-year-old West Palm Beach man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the 2017 murder of one of two twin brothers whose bodies were found burned on the side of the Beeline Highway.

Darin Byrd was found guilty of second-degree murder last month in the fatal shooting of Brandon Allen, 21, as well as two counts of tampering with physical evidence. He was acquitted in the death of Allen's twin brother, Brian Allen.

Circuit Judge Jeffrey Gillen sentenced Byrd to life in prison.

His accomplice, Jullian Cathirell, 21 at the time, was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life in 2022.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detectives said Cathirell had been in an ongoing feud with Brandon Allen when he fatally shot the 21-year-old brothers in the West Palm Beach apartment they shared.

Detectives said Byrd prevented Brandon Allen from getting away, blocking the door to the foyer and pushing him to the floor.

After the brothers were killed, Cathirell and Byrd cleaned up the crime scene with bleach and alcohol and hid the bodies in a bathtub until the next night, when they drove the bodies to the Beeline Highway and set them on fire, investigators said.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story said Byrd was sentenced to nearly 21 years in prison.