DALLAS — The man found guilty in organizing the 2017 kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Shavon Randle has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.
A jury found Darius Fields guilty of organized criminal activity after a few hours of deliberation Tuesday, March 7.
Fields had already been in federal prison serving an 18-year sentence for weapons charges in connection to the case since May of 2019.
Ahead of his sentencing, Fields took the stand in his own defense. He admitted to dealing marijuana and committing other crimes, but he denied any involvement in Randle’s kidnapping and murder. He told the jury that they got it wrong.
Shavon Randle’s mother spoke following Fields’ sentencing. She said she was pleased, but “it’s not going to bring my baby back.”
Randle was kidnapped in June 2017 from her aunt’s home in Lancaster, where she was staying at the time. Her body was found days later in an abandoned house in Oak Cliff, along with the body of 19-year-old Michael Titus.
The medical examiner said Randle was shot four times.
According to authorities, Randle was kidnapped in retaliation after $250,000 worth of marijuana was stolen from a group led by Fields.
Four people were arrested in connection to Randle's kidnapping and death -- including Fields, Desmond Jones, Laquon Wilkerson and Devontae Owens.
Titus, whose body was found with Randle's, is believed by authorities to have also been involved in the kidnapping.
Desmond Jones, who was convicted in February 2020 and sentenced to 99 years in prison, told authorities that Titus killed Randle because she saw his face, and that Wilkerson then killed Titus because they blamed him for Randle's death and for the drugs being stolen.
Another man, Kendall Perkins, is accused of aggravated robbery in connection with the 100 pounds of marijuana stolen from a motel room -- the incident that allegedly led Fields and Owens to orchestrate Randle's kidnapping, authorities said.
The original target of the kidnapping was Shavon's cousin, Ledoris Randle, who was Perkins' girlfriend at the time.