Man sentenced to less than 2 months in jail for fatal Spokane Valley shooting

A 38-year-old man served less than two months in jail for killing a 40-year-old man who those involved in the case determined was largely “an aggressor or provoker” of the Spokane Valley shooting.

Darell Harris pleaded guilty March 18 to first-degree manslaughter in last year’s fatal shooting of Deshaun Crawford inside a Spokane Valley manufactured home, according to court documents.

Harris and Dwayne Parks, 46, were arrested last winter in Western Washington in connection to the killing. Harris was charged with second-degree murder, and Parks was charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance for aiding Harris after Crawford was killed.

The charges stem from the night of Feb. 8, 2023, when deputies responded to a home at 4306 E. Second Ave. for the shooting, documents say.

There, they found Crawford dead in the living room with a pellet gun under his body and a can of bear mace under his legs, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in documents.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office said it located six gunshot wounds on Crawford’s body.

Parks told deputies he was living at the property and that he, Harris and several others were at the residence that afternoon, according to court documents. At one point, Parks opened the door for Crawford, who had a handgun. He heard several gunshots as he ran through the house before leaving, court records say.

Several witnesses told the sheriff’s office Crawford earlier showed up drunk that morning to the Spokane Valley home. They said Crawford spilled beer on the carpet and was asked to leave.

A few of those witnesses said Crawford then pulled a knife and threatened Parks, according to documents. Crawford was restrained and escorted from the property, witnesses said.

The standard sentence range for Harris’s manslaughter charge was 6½ to 8½ years in prison.

Spokane County deputy prosecutor Sharon Hedlund and Harris’s attorney, Derek Reid, both recommended Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese impose credit for time served, or 54 days, in exchange for the guilty plea.

Harris, who has no prior felony convictions, will not serve community custody.

The attorneys agreed on the sentence based on Harris’ “willingness to plead guilty to a serious violent offense that will prevent him from ever having his firearm rights restored,” according to documents.

“This resolution holds the Defendant accountable for his actions during this unfortunate set of circumstances yet recognizes that, to a significant degree, the victim was an aggressor or provoker of the incident,” documents say.

Parks pleaded guilty Feb. 6 to first-degree rendering criminal assistance and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 6.