VINCENNES – Knox County Circuit Court Judge Monica Gilmore handed down a maximum sentence Friday, bringing a sense of closure to a violent incident that shook the community last summer.
Dylan A. Smith, 32, of Vincennes, was sentenced to 60 years in the Indiana Department of Correction for the murder of 30-year-old Taylor Hendershot. The sentencing follows a guilty plea entered by Smith in November, just as his jury trial was set to begin.
The fatal encounter occurred on August 5, 2023, shortly before 1:00 p.m. Police reports indicate that Smith shot Hendershot multiple times in the parking lot of Cardinal Liquors on North 6th Street.
Following the shooting, Smith fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade, which he crashed approximately one block away. He then sought refuge in a residence on Carbon Street, where he barricaded himself and was reportedly armed with a knife. After a several-hour standoff with law enforcement—including a tenant who was able to safely escape the home—police used “less-lethal devices” to take Smith into custody.
During the investigation, Vincennes Police Chief John Hillenbrand confirmed that Smith and Hendershot were in a relationship at the time of the shooting and shared a child together. Fortunately, the child was not present during the incident.
Before the final sentencing, the case saw several legal developments:
Smith’s defense attorney sought to move the trial out of Knox County, citing heavy local media coverage and the victim’s family ties to a sitting county judge. This motion was denied by Judge Monica Gilmore.
The defense initially filed notice to pursue an insanity defense before Smith eventually decided to change his plea.
In an unusual move, the State did not offer a plea deal. Instead, Smith proactively offered to plead guilty, waive all rights to appeal, and waive any future requests for sentence modification in exchange for the fixed 60-year term.
The courtroom on Friday was a sea of matching shirts as Hendershot’s family and friends gathered to honor her memory. Knox County Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan noted that he accepted the 60-year plea agreement only after meeting with Hendershot’s family, who expressed their support for the deal to ensure a guaranteed sentence without years of appeals.
Judge Gilmore accepted the terms of the plea, ensuring Smith will serve the vast majority of his 60-year sentence.
