Donavan Harris Sentenced to 60 Years for Murder

July 28, 2026

On July 28, 2026, Judge Angela Warner Sims sentenced Donavan Harris (20 of Anderson) to a total of 60 years for the 2023 Murder of 15-year-old Jullian Craig.  Judge Sims ordered 50 years to be executed at the Indiana Department of Correction followed by 5 years suspended to formal probation and an additional 5 years suspended to informal probation.


On June 3, 2026, a Madison County Circuit Court 1 jury found Harris guilty of: Count I: Murder, a felony; Count II: Attempted Armed Robbery, a Level 3 felony; and Count III: Criminal Confinement, a level 3 felony.  All three counts merged for the purposes of sentencing.


Harris' charges stem from the shooting death of 15-year-old Jullian D. Craig, who was killed during the commission of an attempted armed robbery on November 24, 2023. The evidence presented at trial proved that Craig was armed with a handgun lying in the backseat of a vehicle driven by Harris, when the pair lured a subject into the vehicle with the promise of paying a debt owed. During an altercation inside the vehicle, the victim of the attempted robbery shot and killed Craig in self-defense.


Under the doctrine of "Felony Murder", when someone commits or attempts to commit certain serious felonies, such as robbery, and a death results during the commission of that crime, the participants can be held responsible for the death. The law recognizes that some crimes are so inherently dangerous that those who choose to commit them should be held accountable for the foreseeable consequences thereof, including the loss of human life.


At trial, the State's case was presented by Deputy Prosecutors Jennifer Haley and Samanthan Green. The case was investigated by Officer Travis Thompson, formerly of the Anderson Police Department, now employed by the Pendleton Police Department.



Madison County Prosecutor's Office News

Daniel Manning Sentenced to 50 Years for Child Molesting

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Matthew Deprez Convicted of Child Molesting

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Sean Wheatley Sentenced to 16 Years for Level 4 Child Molesting Convictions

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On August 10, 2026, Judge Angela Warner Sims sentenced Sean Wheatley (29 of Greenfield) to sixteen (16) years with eight (8) years to be executed at the Indiana Department of Correction followed by eight (8) years of formal probation. In July, a Madison County Circuit Court 1 jury found Wheatley guilty of two counts of Child Molesting, as Level 4 felonies. Under Indiana law, a Level 4 felony carries a possible sentence of two (2) years to twelve (12) years.  The State's case was presented by Deputy Prosecutor Dan Kopp and Certified Legal Intern Aleyah McCorkle. The case was investigated by Lt. Sean Waterman of the Ingalls Police Department.
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