BLOOMINGTON – Monroe Circuit Court 2 Judge Valeri Haughton sentenced an Indianapolis man to 60 years in prison for a 2020 murder in Bloomington.
Keshawn Bess was sentenced on Tuesday. Jurors convicted him of murder and attempted robbery in November. He was given credit for 1,112 days served.
Bess’ first trial resulted in a mistrial in February after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision.
Bess and two others were accused of killing 26-year-old Damon Brown after Brown agreed to sell them marijuana in October 2020.
On October 26th, at approximately 8:32 p.m., Bloomington Police officers were called to a residence in the 1600 block of North Willis Drive after numerous calls of multiple shots fired.
When police arrived, they found Brown on the front porch of the residence with a gunshot wound to his chest, said Bloomington Police Department Captain Ryan Pedigo. Officers immediately began resuscitation efforts, and Brown was transported by ambulance to IU Health Bloomington Hospital. He died on the way to the hospital.
A witness told police Brown was uncomfortable with the deal and asked his friend to be there with him for the transaction, according to court documents.
Bess showed up with Jamal McFadden and Malik Bennett. Bess and Bennett were armed, the witness said and demanded Brown turn over cash and marijuana.
According to court documents, Brown told them to “just take it” before being shot.
Investigators believe Bess pulled the trigger.
The three fled the area in a van traced back to McFadden, who contacted police to report his vehicle had been stolen in Indianapolis.
He attempted to pick up the vehicle in Bloomington, where police questioned him about the shooting. He told them he didn’t have a gun and ran away after it happened. Police identified Bess through McFadden’s phone records; Bess was arrested on Nov. 11, 2020, in Indianapolis.
Bennett told police he had nothing to do with Brown’s murder and claimed he wasn’t armed during the encounter. The witness, however, told police he was certain Bennett had a gun because “he pointed it right at me during the robbery.”
McFadden was found guilty of felony murder and sentenced to 56 years. He appealed his case, but the Court of Appeals upheld the murder conviction.
