CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Two men convicted of the 2020 murder of a 32-year-old man were both given life sentences in court Wednesday.

On the evening of Jan. 15, 2020, police responded to a shootout in progress on Bennett Drive and arrived to find DeSergio Taylor, 32, with multiple fatal gunshot wounds. The shooters were wounded and fled before first responders arrived. Immediately, Taylor was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where he later died from his injuries.

Marc Crowder, 39, and Decory Smith, 38, were apprehended at a hospital by police. On Feb. 29, 2024, a jury found both men guilty of first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery.

‘Heinous and atrocious offenses”

During sentencing on Wednesday in Judge Robert Bateman’s courtroom, Chief Deputy District Attorney General Marianne Bell asked for Taylor’s family members to stand. Two women rose from their seats to represent the victim’s family.

Although they didn’t take the stand to provide a verbal statement, Bell presented Bateman with several written victim impact statements made by the Helen Taylor, Desergio Taylor’s mother.

“The state would submit that both of these individuals are professional criminals who have dedicated their lives to criminal acts,” Bell told Judge Bateman. “Neither of them have any particularly wonderful employment history.”

Bell said Smith was on parole at the time of the murder for a previous drug charge, and Crowder was a “persistent offender” as well as a confirmed member of a criminal gang. Crowder was confirmed to be a member as far back as 2013 and again in 2016, she said.

“They are offenders whose record of criminal activity is extensive and they are also dangerous offenders,” Bell said. “The court will note that both of them have spent time in prison, especially Mr. Smith. Apparently, it does not matter to them. They will get out and they will commit even more heinous and atrocious offenses.”

Maintaining innocence

Both Crowder and Smith have maintained their innocence since their conviction.

John Carver, Smith’s defense attorney, asked for the secondary charge of attempted aggravated robbery to be six years and asked for it to run concurrent with the mandatory sentence the judge would impose. Carver recognized that his client has a criminal history but argued that he does not dedicate his life to it.

Likewise, John Parker, Crowder’s defense attorney, asked for the same and said his client was gainfully employed at the time of the murder, and, unlike Smith, he was not on parole or probation.

According to Carver and Parker, their clients still maintain their innocence and both plan to appeal.

Life sentences

Bateman imposed a life sentence on Crowder with the secondary charge running consecutively as a range three persistent offender:

• Murder: Mandatory life sentence of 60 years with potential 15% credit (51 years)
• Attempted aggravated robbery: 15 years

According to Bateman, Crowder must serve 58 years before he is eligible for consideration of release. That would make him age 97 upon possible parole.

Smith also received a mandatory life sentence with the secondary charged to be served consecutively as a range two offender:

• Murder: Mandatory life sentence of 60 years with potential 15% credit (51 years)
• Attempted aggravated robbery: 10 years

Bateman said that Smith must serve 54 and a half years before he is eligible for consideration of release. That would make him 92 upon possible parole.