No Death Penalty Coming in Dylan Smith Case

      Knox County Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan says he is unable to file a request for the death penalty against a Vincennes man charged with murder in the shooting death of 30-year-old Taylor Hendershot of Vincennes.
      32-year-old Dylan Smith, also from Vincennes, is accused of shooting Hendershot in her vehicle Tuesday in the parking lot of the Cardinal’s Liquor Store on North 6th Street.
      Carnahan says in order to file a death penalty request, one of eighteen factors must be present.
      However, he explains none of those factors are available.
      Carnahan says the death penalty is not legally allowed in this case and the defendant is charged with the most serious offense available under Indiana law.
      He says he did file a Notice of Intent to Seek an Enhanced Sentence against Smith since a firearm was used in the commission of the offense.
      If convicted, Smith faces a sentence of 45 to 65 years in prison for Murder and an additional 5 to 20 years due to the use of a firearm.
      A November 4th trial date was set during Smith’s Initial Court Hearing Wednesday in Knox Circuit Court.