Staff Reports
JENNINGS COUNTY — A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced to 95 years in prison in the shooting death of a Jennings County man earlier this year in Country Squire Lakes.
Stephon Moore, 30, was sentenced Tuesday in Jennings Circuit Court to 60 years in prison for the April 15 death of Donavon Booker and 35 years for the attempted murder of Larry Evans, according to court records.
The sentencing, originally scheduled for Thursday, was moved to Tuesday after notification from the court to attorneys in the case, according to court records.
Moore had been found guilty in a September jury trial of a Level 1 felony murder charge and a Level 1 felony attempted murder charge, court records state. He was found not guilty on another attempted murder charge and a Level 6 felony charge of theft of a firearm.
Moore was given credit for 196 days already served in jail between April and October. He was ordered to serve the 95-year sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections. He was also ordered to pay $6,904.65 in favor of Montel Booker for the funeral expenses for Donavon Booker, the sentencing order read.
The shooting stemmed from an incident that occurred in the driveway of a home at 3972 Squire Lakes Blvd. in North Vernon on April 15, court documents stated.
Frank Bailey, a suspect who pleaded guilty to battery and disorderly conduct charges in the case, claimed he had been jumped earlier at the Country Squire Lakes home by four people for supposedly touching a woman named “Trinity,” court documents states. Witnesses told investigators that the shooting, which was captured by surveillance video, was about leaving a girl alone.
Donavon was a bystander during an argument in the driveway and died of a single gunshot wound to the upper torso while he was standing in the driveway as an onlooker, court documents stated.
The video of the incident shows a light-colored, four-door passenger car pulling into the driveway of 3972 Squire Lakes Blvd., with four individuals getting out of the vehicle, the affidavit states.
An altercation begins, and during the course of the altercation a black male with shoulder-length hair shoots a pistol at three different male subjects in the driveway area of the home, the affidavit states. Witnesses said the shoulder-length hair was dreadlocks, according to the affidavit.
After the shooting, the four individuals are seen getting back into the car and leaving the area, according to the affidavit.
Moore was represented by Columbus attorneys James A. Shoaf and Benjamin S. Loheide. Prosecutor Brian Belding represented the state in the case.
