Four men indicted in connection to Shavon Randle's 2017 murder
Four people have been indicted on new charges in connection to 13-year-old Shavon Randle’s kidnapping and murder in 2017.
A Dallas County grand jury on Thursday indicted Desmond Jones, Devontae Owens, Laquon Wilkerson and Darius Fields on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony.
The new indictments describe a conspiracy to kidnap and murder 13-year-old Shavon. They are the first charges officially connecting someone to Shavon’s murder. Previously, there were only charges for kidnapping, firearm violations and drug possession.
Shavon had just turned 13 six days before she was kidnapped on June 28, 2017. She was found murdered four days later over stolen marijuana that her immediate family had nothing to do with. She was found shot to death in an East Oak Cliff trap house along with her cousin, Michael Titus
Wilkerson, Owens and Jones were charged with aggravated kidnapping. Fields and his girlfriend, Laporsha Polley, were charged on federal weapons violations.
Polley was sentenced to four years in prison while Fields was sentenced to 18 years on the gun charges. When Fields was sentenced, his attorney pointed out Judge Barbara Lynn ruled he was not part of taking Shavon.
“We're happy that the judge made a finding that he did not have anything to do with the kidnapping of her that she made it clear that he didn't order that kidnap,” said Bill Cox, Field’s attorney.
However, the new Dallas County indictments tell a different story. Fields, Wilkerson, Owens and Jones are all charged with engaging in organized crime and implicated them in Shavon's kidnapping and murder.
“There are certain facts that come out about the federal offense,” said attorney Anthony Farmer, who is not involved in the case. “And those same facts are typically used in the state case, and they track the indictment for the state case.”
The indictments are the first to officially accuse anyone of Shavon murder. They state that the four men “collaborated in carrying on criminal activities and unlawfully conspired to commit murder and aggravated kidnapping.” Investigators say they staged Titus to make his murder appear to be a suicide.
“There was a conspiracy to commit these felonies,” Farmer said. “And conspiracy cases are very difficult to defend.”
The new charges mean someone will finally have to answer for Shavon’s murder.
“When a young girl is abducted and eventually murdered, then you want folks to feel like law enforcement is doing everything they can to address that situation,” Farmer said.
Polley was listed as a co-conspirator in the charges, but she was not indicted. Investigators say she was part of the organized criminal activities but was not involved in any part of Shavon’s kidnapping or murder.
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