Shavon Randle

Darius Fields Sentenced to 55 Years Behind Bars in Case Connected to Shavon Randle Murder

A Dallas County Jury sentenced Darius Fields to 55 years behind bars Wednesday after he was found guilty of engaging in an organized criminal activity Tuesday in connection with the 2017 kidnapping and murder of Shavon Randle and Michael Titus.
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A Dallas County jury sentenced Darius Fields to 55 years behind bars Wednesday after he was found guilty of engaging in an organized criminal activity Tuesday in connection with the 2017 kidnapping and murder of Shavon Randle and Michael Titus.

Fields Testifies During Sentencing

After a jury found Darius Fields guilty of organizing the criminal effort connected with the kidnapping and murder of Shavon Randle, he took the stand in his own defense Wednesday against his attorneys’ advice.

Fields took the stand during the sentencing phase Wednesday, testifying on his own behalf against the advice of his attorneys.

"I could never imagine in my wildest dreams that something like this would ever transpire behind marijuana," Fields told the jury.

The jury deliberated for three hours on Tuesday after closing arguments in the case against Fields whom prosecutors described as the ringleader of a drug crew that planned and executed the kidnapping and murder of Shavon Randle.

On the stand, Fields denied any involvement in the kidnapping, which sparked an Amber Alert that ended when a co-conspirator led police to her body in an abandoned Oak Cliff drug house in July 2017. The body of Michael Titus, part of Fields' drug crew was there too.

"I loved him like a brother. If I could have saved him or Shavon, I would have," Fields said. "I didn't know their life was in danger."

During cross-examination, prosecutor Jennifer Falk asked Fields if he expected the jury to believe his story over the evidence that led to his conviction.

"You're telling them they got it wrong. Aren't you?" said Falk. "Yes ma'am," Fields answered.

Falk called Fields a master manipulator who directed his crew to kidnap and kill Randle and then tried to manipulate jurors.

"There is no verdict that is appropriate except for a life sentence," said Falk.

Defense attorneys argued the state didn't have enough evidence to justify a life sentence.

Fields was sentenced to 55 years in prison, he's already serving another 18-year sentence for a gun crime related to Randle's kidnapping.

Charges for Others in the Case

Three other co-conspirators face charges in the case.

A Dallas County jury sentenced Desmond Jones to 99 years in prison in February 2020.

Laquan Wilkerson was sentenced to 40 years after entering a guilty plea in August 2021. The case against Devontae Owens is still pending.

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