A Brookhaven man has been found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in connection with a 2021 homicide.

On Thursday, March 20, 2025, Zayrick Keune Taylor AKA “Juice”, 27, was found guilty by a Lincoln County jury of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

On Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, Brookhaven Police officers responded to an early-morning call of a shooting at the intersection of Vanzie Street and Rance Drive. Tarvauirs Lyons, 23, was found in the roadway with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two individuals told BPD that Taylor had shot the victim and taken them hostage afterward. Taylor was arrested Monday evening, Sept. 20, after a three-county high-speed pursuit.

Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Michael Taylor sentenced Zayrick Taylor, to life plus 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, to run consecutively.

Taylor was previously arrested and charged as an adult in 2015 for burglary, carrying a concealed weapon and discharging it inside city limits. He was arrested again in late 2016 and charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery, burglary of a dwelling and possession of a controlled substance. Arrested once more in 2017, he was charged with two counts of possession of a stolen firearm.

In February 2018, at age 19, Taylor pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of burglary of a truck. He was sentenced in Lincoln County Circuit Court to seven years in prison, to serve three with four suspended, and to complete four years post-release supervision.

In June 2019, he was sentenced for aggravated assault — amended from attempted murder — to 10 years with credit for time served, plus five years post-release supervision. Taylor was ordered to remain outside the 14th Judicial district for the term of his supervision.

“This type of violent behavior will not be tolerated in our communities,” said District Attorney Brendon Adams. “This was an example of a person taking another person’s life in cold blood. We will not tolerate individuals that believe that violence and harming others is OK.”

Adams thanked the officers of BPD for their hard work and dedication in this case, as well as Assistant DAs Steven Waldrop and Joey Norton, and DA Investigator Kailyn Watts. He said his heart goes out to the family of the victim, Lyons. 

“We will never be able to bring Tarvauirs back, but at least justice has been served, and Taylor has been held accountable for his actions,” said Adams. “This sentence should serve as a deterrent to anyone that thinks that taking another’s life will be tolerated. Those that use violence to commit murders in our communities will be dealt with as harshly as possible.”