New England’s Unsolved: Who shot and killed Darrion Carrington?

BOSTON — On a cold night in Boston, 16 years ago, Darrion Carrington made a late-night stop to pick up an order at a Chinese Restaurant. While he waited for his order, Darrion talked to a friend on his cellphone. Suddenly a gunman walked into the restaurant behind Darrion and opened fire.

There has never been an arrest in the case, but Darrion’s mother says she’s not giving up on her son.

“That was my only child,” Natasha Carrington told me. “That was my heart.”

“What has it been like for you to not have any answers in al this time?” I asked.

“That’s been heart-wrenching,” she said. “It brought me to a space where I don’ ever want to go again.”

Darrion Carrington was 18 years old when he was killed in 2008. He had dreams of playing basketball for a living, even if an eye disease made that unlikely.

Natasha raised her son at St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church. Darrion was a regular at the Roxbury Boys and Girl’s Club.

“I’m going to say my baby was the most beautiful little boy… and he grew up to be this gentle giant, " his mother said.

Sometime around 11:40pm on Monday January 7, 2008, Darrion stopped by the Canton House Restaurant to pick up his late-night order.

Darrion was shot three times at close range. The bullets came from a .45 caliber gun.

Darrion was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center. Natasha told me she never got a chance to say goodbye to her son.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden tells me he is determined to find Darrion’s killer, but until now, there’s not been much for investigators to go on.

“This 18 year old boy did not deserve to die waiting for Chinese food in Dorchester,” I said to DA Hayden.

“Amen to that,” Hayden said. “The loss to homicide is unimaginable, but unbearable for those who experience it. It’s only amplified, when justice can’t be done.”

Boston Police have turned to Darrion’s past for clues, looking to see if he was having problems with anyone. DA Hayden tells me, so far, they’ve come up empty.

“Why would somebody do this to you son?” I asked Darrion’s mother.

“I have no idea, none whatsoever,” she said.

Dorchester has changed a lot since 2008. That Chinese restaurant isn’t even in business anymore. It’s hoped that someone who knew something back then will say something now.

“When people speak up and when our community stands together with us in investigations, and enables us to be better at doing our jobs, then we’ve got a better shot, and we have an opportunity here,” DA Hayden said. “2008 is a long time. But we’re never going to give up hope. And we’re never going to stop. Stop believing in fighting for Darion and for Natasha.”

Natasha Carrington spends much of her time at the Louis D. Brown Peace Initiative in Boston where she helps other families touched by violence.

She says her work is part of her healing, her search for the truth.

“Every time I look at him, he puts a smile on my face,” Natasha said. “All I can say (to him) is, ‘Mommy’s still trying. Mommy’s working hard to get you justice.’”

If you have information in Darrion Carrington’s case, call Boston Police Crimestoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS.

You can also text “TIP” to “CRIME” (27463) on your mobile device.

You don’t have to leave your name, it’s the information police need.

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