Third Defendant Sentenced in 2020 Beating Death

durbin-jpg

Terre Haute, In. – Richard E. Durbin of Terre Haute was sentenced Friday in the beating death of Dwayne French of Terre Haute.  French was beaten and robbed in August of 2020 and died of his injuries in September.  Durbin pleaded guilty to robbery resulting in personal injury as a Level 3 felony. As a result of the plea agreement, charges of murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery and battery were dismissed. In October of 2023 Dwight D. Brown, 31, of Utah and formerly of Terre Haute has was sentenced to 30 years, 27 years of those years to be executed and three years on formal probation for his part in the robbery murder and Candace B. Jones, 25, of Terre Haute pleaded guilty to robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and in August of 2023 was sentenced to 25 years, with 20 years to be executed and five years suspended. A third defendant, 37-year-old Jesse James Hess of Terre Haute is scheduled for a jury next month.