The community of Taft, just south of Orlando, is reeling from the murder of two young black men, who were known as devoted mentors to younger children at the local Boys & Girls Club. The two men spent most of their days at the club when they were growing up.
The deaths of Deangelo “Snap” Cox, 22, and Nick Lewis, 21, allegedly came at the hands of a local drug dealer, Laureano “Larry” Romero, 39, who was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The shootings were apparently carried out in front of Romero’s daughter, who allegedly told her mother, “Daddy killed two black men.” Romero’s mother reportedly called authorities to relay what her granddaughter said.
Lewis and Cox were found dead in Romero’s home, but he was nowhere to be found. Witnesses told deputies they saw Romero drive away after the shootings. According to an additional witness, who had just purchased marijuana from Romero minutes before the shooting, he heard five gunshots from inside the home.
Romero’s brother reportedly told detectives that Romero told him later that day that “he had to protect himself against two people who came into his house making threats toward him.”
The brother said a “scuffle broke out and [Romero] had to protect himself,” with the “big gun” he had bought. According to the police report, investigators found 7.62-caliber rounds in the couch cushions.
RomeroBut neighbors and friends of the young men had a hard time believing they would be mixed up with a known drug dealer. Romero, a convicted drug dealer, was released from prison in April, according to published reports.
“Those boys were chill, they never got into anything except the club,” said neighbor Ralph Baker “They were good boys and I can’t understand. Something else is going on.”
Shadrick Alexander, service director at the Boys & Girls Club, said in the five years that he knew the two young men, they had always been leaders, participating faithfully in community service and working with dozens of kids daily.
“Just disbelief,” Alexander said. “They were outstanding young men, very smart, caring, helpful and outgoing.”
According to published reports, Cox was working part-time for a Boys & Girls Club in Osceola County while going to school, majoring in sports fitness and recreation.
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