A Bowie County jury sentenced an Ashdown, Arkansas, man to life in prison Thursday in the shooting death of a 16-year-old Texarkana, Texas, boy last year.
Demarius Dejuan Taylor, 21, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in the death of Notorious Crabtree by a jury of six men and six women.
Demarius Taylor’s sister, Bosnia Taylor, 22, is also facing a murder charge in the case. She is being held in the Bowie County jail with bond of $1 million.
Bosnia Taylor was reportedly involved in a physical altercation earlier on the day of the shooting with a group of other girls and young women on Ash Street in Texarkana, Arkansas. One of the girls involved in the confrontation was a 15-year-old cousin of Notorious Crabtree.
Witnesses advised police that Bosnia Taylor was “beat,” according to a probable cause affidavit. Bosnia Taylor and another woman involved in the confrontation allegedly communicated via social media about arranging a second fight.
Bosnia Taylor, Demarius Taylor and six other people allegedly drove in two SUVs to Meadowbrook Lane. Notorious was there visiting family and he and other young people were outside.
A short tussle between some of the people at the scene was quickly broken up by Notorious’ father and uncle. The fighting was over and people were leaving when Demarius Taylor pulled a handgun and fired in the direction of Notorious and his dad. Notorious was hit in the chest and died at the scene.
Officers responded to multiple 911 calls about a person suffering from a gunshot wound in the intersection of Meadowbrook and Westlawn Drive.
Demarius Taylor was represented by Texarkana attorney David James. First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant DA Lauren Richards prosecuted the case.
Crisp and Richards said in closing arguments that Demarius Taylor was arrested in August 2019 and in October 2019 in California and Arkansas while in possession of loaded firearms. They asked the jury to sentence Demarius Taylor to life in prison.
“It wasn’t if, it was when,” Richards said. “Tell Demarius Taylor what juries in Bowie County think of someone who murders children in the middle of the street for no reason.”
Crisp argued that Demarius Taylor is a threat to the public.
“We are here because Demarius Taylor is a homicidal maniac,” Crisp said. “Let’s send the Crabtrees home with a little less grief.”
202nd District Judge John Tidwell presided over the trial.
