Teen gets prison for murder

MAGNOLIA — An 18-yearold pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in the 2016 death of a Taylor man.

Keaton Taylor, 18, of Taylor admitted to being an accessory and helping plan the April 13, 2016, murder of 53-year-old Douglas Harwell at Harwell’s residence in Taylor.

Columbia County Circuit Judge David W. Talley Jr. sentenced Taylor to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction on the murder charge and an additional 10 years on the aggravated robbery charge. Both are Class Y felonies, and can carry 10-40 years or a life imprisonment sentence. The sentences will run concurrently.

Taylor’s co-defendant, De’Kota Despain of Magnolia, pleaded guilty April 19 to identical charges as Taylor and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Both were 16 at the time of the murder.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Phillips noted that Taylor was cooperative during the criminal investigation and had stated he would testify against Despain if the case went to a jury trial.Taylor and Despain were charged initially with capital murder, aggravated residential burglary and theft of property worth $25,000 or more, but those charges were amended or dropped in both defendants’ plea deals.

Phillips said during Thursday’s hearing that Taylor and Despain went to Harwell’s residence, where Despain fired two shots into Harwell and removed property from his home. Taylor helped plan the murder and theft, was present during “the execution” and “helped move the body after the murder and removed property,” Phillips said.

Taylor admitted to being present during the murder and helping plan it, but he said he didn’t help move the body.