Man Found Guilty In Fatal Barbershop Shooting In Somerset

SOMERSET, NJ — A Georgia man was found guilty in connection with a fatal barbershop shooting in the Somerset section of Franklin Township in 2020, according to Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Thomas J. Chirichella.

On Tuesday, a Superior Court jury found Tayyab A. Ware, 31, of Augusta, Georgia guilty of all charges including first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree armed robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with the homicide of Denny Sanchez, 34, of Franklin Township.

Todd Smith, 32, of Truman Drive, Edison, who was also involved previously plead guilty on January 7, 2022, to charges of first-degree robbery in relation to the shooting death of Sanchez.

On Nov. 2 at around 8:40 p.m., numerous 911 calls reported a shooting at a barbershop on Hamilton Street in the Somerset Section of Franklin Township where a dice game had taken place, according to facts at the trial.

Police found a man, later identified as Sanchez suffering from a gunshot wound inside the barbershop and immediately began to administer lifesaving measures, said Chirichella.

Sanchez was taken to an area trauma center where he was later pronounced dead.

The initial investigation determined that two men entered the shop, one armed with a gun, and told everyone to get down stating, "You know what time it is." Money was taken from the room before Sanchez was fatally shot, said Chirichella.

Following a two-month investigation, Smith and Ware were arrested and charged in December 2020.

Ware is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18. He was remanded to the Somerset County Jail following the verdict. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8.

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