A man charged in a murder that happened in 2019 has been given a suspended 10-year sentence after he earlier pleaded guilty to facilitation to second-degree murder.
De'Koryon Powell was initially charged with felony murder and especially aggravated robbery in the slaying of Marshon Langford.
In the early morning of Sept. 28, 2019, law enforcement responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash with injuries on Pink Oak Drive. According to the police report, officers were advised the occupant of the vehicle had suffered a gunshot wound.
When they arrived on-scene, they found Marshon Langford inside a white Nissan Altima with what was described as a “life-threatening gunshot wound to his back.” After being transported to Erlanger Hospital, he was pronounced deceased.
A few hours later, law enforcement spoke with a witness who said they heard gunshots and saw two younger black males running from the corner of Larry Drive and Pin Oak Avenue. According to the police report, the men ran through Larry Drive.
After a lengthy investigation, Darmecus Harris was taken into custody. While being interviewed, Harris said he and Brian Wilson had made a plan to steal Langford’s vehicle. After investigators received a warrant and went through his Facebook messages, they located messages between the two men.
According to the police report, Harris said a man named De’Koryon "Kory" Powell had left a girlfriend’s house and went to Larry Drive. He said once they saw Langford driving off, the pair flagged down the vehicle and asked Langford for a ride.
It was at that point that Powell pulled out a gun, according to the police report. As Langford attempted to get into the vehicle and drive away, Harris shot multiple rounds in the car, killing Langford, police said.
Officers located Powell on Through Street and arrested him on unrelated warrants. After being transported to the Homicide Office, he spoke to law enforcement. According to the police report, he stated he had been with Harris on the day of the homicide.
He said they both had pistols, and that Harris “told him they were going to steal a guy’s car,” since the target was deemed slow and unarmed. When they encountered the victim, they asked the man for a ride to the Brainerd Recreation Center. Langford told them he was not headed that way.
It was at this point that Powell said Harris opened the door and tried to pull Langford out of the vehicle. As Langford fought back, the vehicle began to roll down Larry Drive. The victim then got back into the vehicle, and Powell said Harris “emptied the clip” into the car. The two men then ran away from the scene.
Harris is serving a 25-year sentence for second-degree murder.