Accomplice convicted in 2008 Portsmouth killing

By Catherine Carlock

In January 2008, Tarquia Stagg stood by and watched as his father fatally shot a man and wounded another.

On Wednesday, a jury convicted Tarquia Stagg of the second-degree murder of Deltron Nichols and the malicious wounding of Andre Lamb. Jurors also convicted Stagg of two firearms charges.

The jury recommended that Stagg serve 36 years in prison.

Stagg's father, Kenneth Griffin, was convicted in December of the first-degree murder of Nichols and aggravated malicious wounding of Lamb. He was sentenced to life plus 30 years in March.

The shootings, outside a BP gas station on Victory Boulevard, stemmed from a verbal altercation just outside the gas station's doors as the victims were leaving.

Lamb testified that Stagg repeatedly demanded to know if anyone had hit his vehicle.

Commonwealth's Attorney Ed Ferreira accused Stagg of drawing Nichols and Lamb back to the car. "This was basically an assassination," Ferreira said in his closing argument.

"These crimes never happen without Mr. Stagg."

Stagg testified that he was ready for a fight when Nichols and Lamb approached his father's vehicle.

Griffin fired his gun seven times, according to testimony from a forensic scientist.

Stagg said he was shocked by the shooting. But Ferreira said the video did not show him flinch. Ferreira pointed out that afterward, Stagg patted his father on the stomach, then climbed into their vehicle. His father drove off.

Nichols died of a gunshot wound, according to the physician who performed his autopsy.

Lamb said one bullet shattered his left femur and another left scars on his chest. He has a permanent titanium rod in his leg.

Stagg was raised by his grandparents. Elnora Stagg, 74, said he had never given her any trouble. She said it was sad that "he has to be punished for what his daddy's done."

Mary Harrell, Nichols' mother, cradled pictures of her dead son to her chest and dabbed tissues at her eyes as Stagg's trial progressed.

"I feel a sense of relief that he did not get away with participating in murder," she said.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 10.

Catherine Carlock, (757) 446-2352, catherine.carlock@pilotonline.com