Man indicted for murder in connection with fatal Columbus drug deal
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – For the second time in three weeks, a man has been indicted by a grand jury, this time over an alleged deadly drug deal.
According to Franklin County Court of Common Pleas documents, Dewarin Powell was indicted on two counts of murder and one count each of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and having weapons under disability.
Powell, 22, along with 29-year-old Shavez Hargrave, 20-year-old Monique Vance, and 30-year-old April Brumfield, is accused in the death of 27-year-old Remarcus Smith-Heagler, who crashed his car after he was shot on the East Side this summer.
Columbus police said Smith-Heagler was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in the 5000 block of Cedar Drive, in the Pine Hills neighborhood, when Powell and Hargrave attempted to rob him during an alleged drug deal.
Police said Powell and Hargrave shot Smith-Heagler while he was trying to escape. Smith-Heagler crashed his car about a block away before he was taken to a hospital in critical condition. He was died two days later.
Powell was arrested on Oct. 10 and pleaded not guilty, and Hargrave remained at large for an additional five days. Hargrave pleaded not guilty to the same set of charges. His trial date is set for Dec. 2.
Also arrested in connection to the homicide were Brumfield and Vance. Vance pleaded not guilty to aggravated robbery and murder and is also expected to begin trial on Dec. 2.
Brumfield pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence, which holds a maximum prison term of 15 years if sentenced consecutively. But a joint recommendation was accepted and Vance will serve 3-4 1/2 years, with 18 months of probation to follow.
Before Powell was arrested in October, he pleaded not guilty in September to three counts of drug possession, and one count each of receiving stolen property, tampering with evidence and obstruction of official police business. Those charges stem from a Sept. 10 incident, but his next court date for that case isn’t until Jan. 25.