SERVING ASCENSION, ASSUMPTION & ST. JAMES PARISHES

Prairieville Man Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm By a Convicted Felon

          On September 11, 2019, an Ascension Parish Jury found Donovan Darville of 39248 Germany Rd. Prairieville, LA., age 29, guilty as charged of 2nd Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in connection with the 2017 shooting death of 27-year-old Clarence Harvey, also of Prairieville. Darville was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joni Buquoi and Leila Braswell. Presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets.  

          On April 18, 2017, deputies with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a Prairieville residence in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies located Clarence Harvey suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to his body. Harvey was pronounced deceased on scene. Detectives processed the scene and interviewed multiple witnesses. Detectives quickly identified Donovan Darville as the shooter. Detectives learned that Darville and Harvey had an argument sometime before the day of the shooting. Darville arrived on the scene and made contact with Harvey. Darville then fired multiple gunshots into Harvey’s direction. Darville then fled the area. Darville was subsequently apprehended and booked into the Ascension Parish Detention Center. 

          Upon the jury rendering a guilty verdict in this matter, sentencing was deferred to a later date. It should be noted that the charge of 2nd Degree Murder carries a mandatory life sentence. Sentencing is tentatively set for November 12, 2019.