NEW BOSTON, Texas -The father of a slain 16-year-old could not hide his grief as he described holding his son as he died of a gunshot wound on a residential Texarkana, Texas, street last year.
Donald Crabtree's pain was palpable as he testified for the state in the murder trial of Demarius Dejuan Taylor under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards.
Demarius Taylor, 21, is accused of shooting 16-year-old Notoryous Crabtree once in the chest on the night of March 31, 2020.
Donald Crabtree said he and a large group of extended family had gathered that day at the home of his brother, Ralph Crabtree, on Meadowbrook Lane.
They became aware that two SUVs had pulled up at the end of Meadowbrook and were blocking the intersection with Westlawn Drive.
Witnesses testified that earlier in the day, Ralph Crabtree's 15-year-old daughter and a group of girls and women had been involved in a physical confrontation on Ash Street in Texarkana, Arkansas.
Bosnia Delease Taylor, 22, sister of Demarius Taylor, testified under questioning by First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp that she believed she had been hit by a man sometime during the Ash Street scuffle and had called her brother for help.
Bosnia Taylor is charged with murder in the case as well.
Demarius Taylor allegedly left work at a Nashville, Arkansas, chicken plant without punching out after receiving the call from his sister. Demarius Taylor, Bosnia Taylor and others allegedly traveled in two SUVs to Meadowbrook, looking for payback.
Donald Crabtree testified that seven or eight men got out and that Demarius Taylor said he was looking for the man who "slapped" his sister. Donald Crabtree said a fight broke out, which he and his brother broke up. Donald Crabtree said that the fighting was over and he was helping someone into a vehicle when he heard, "He's got a gun, he's got a gun."
Donald Crabtree said he ducked but Notorious, who was standing next to him, did not. A single shot rang out.
Donald Crabtree said he grabbed onto the side of the white SUV as Demarius Taylor began driving away but let go when the gun was pointed at him.
"He shot my baby," Donald Crabtree said. "I could see blood, real thick, fresh."
Donald Crabtree said he attempted to clean blood from Notorius' mouth so he could speak but it wasn't possible.
"I told him to bite down if he could hear me, and he did," Donald Crabtree testified. "I pulled him close to me. He couldn't talk. I told him to hold on, the ambulance is coming."
Notoryous died at the scene. Medical Examiner Stephen Hastings testified that the bullet that entered Notorius' chest tore through all three lobes of one lung and came to rest in his back after hitting ribs and a vertebra. Hastings said Notorius probably lived only a few minutes after being shot.
"Nobody was touching him. There wasn't any reason for him to shoot," Ralph Crabtree testified. "A whole bunch of kids under 16 saw this happen."
Donald Crabtree and Ralph Crabtree testified that they did not know Demarius Taylor or Bosnia Taylor.
Multiple Texarkana, Texas, police officers testified that the scene before them was "chaos" when they responded to a shots fired call. Officer Daniel Linn said he attempted life-saving measures and that his efforts were made more arduous by the crowd.
Officer Kobie McAdams and others testified that members of the crowd approached him and showed photos on social media of Demarius Taylor and Bosnia Taylor.
"This is him. And this is her," McAdams quoted the eyewitnesses.
Bosnia Taylor, who is being held in the Bowie County jail on a murder charge with bail set at $1 million, testified that her brother was the only person she saw with a gun. Bosnia Taylor testified that she and about 10 others traveled to Meadowbrook in the SUVs.
"I don't think my brother intentionally aimed to hurt anybody," Bosnia Taylor testified.
Demarius Taylor's lawyer, David James of Texarkana, asked Bosnia Taylor if the shooting was a "sudden, passionate act."
Texarkana, Texas, Officer Jarrod Dean testified that he spoke with Demarius Taylor in the hours after the shooting. He said Demarius claimed to have been at work, filled his car with gas and gone to his mother's home in Ashdown when he learned he was being accused in a shooting.
Dean said Demarius Taylor told him that he was calling because his mother had been contacted by someone claiming he'd been involved in a shooting. In the early hours of April 1, 2020, Demarius Taylor was interviewed by Detective Cody Harris.
Portions of the videotaped interview were played for the jury Wednesday. In it, Harris confronts Demarius Taylor with issues in his claim that he was not involved and warns him that a jury may someday watch the interview.
"Either it's going to show a guy who made a bad mistake and did something he probably didn't mean to do, take ownership of it, show remorse and be truthful, or it's gonna show a guy who came in here and told me a whole bunch of lies who has no remorse for what he did," Harris said in the videotaped interview. "Bowie County juries don't play."
Demarius Taylor continues in the interview to deny involvement in the shooting. Harris emphasizes the gravity of the situation.
"A kid is dead, a kid. A child. A child is dead," Harris said. "I wouldn't have 30 people standing around a dead 16-year-old in the street describing you. Showing me your profile. The father of that dead 16-year-old described you."
Crisp and Richards rested the state's case after Harris testified. It was shortly before 5 p.m. when 202nd District Judge John Tidwell placed the jury in an evening recess with instructions to return to court Thursday to hear from witnesses for the defense.
If found guilty of murder, Demarius Taylor faces five to 99 years or life in prison.