Man convicted in South Franklinton double murder gets life sentence

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COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – A man convicted of in a south Columbus double murder that occurred three and a half years ago will serve at least nearly 50 years in prison.

A Franklin County Court of Common Pleas judge sentenced 29-year-old Datwain Crudup to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 46 years. Crudup was convicted by a jury in the murders of Kevin Williams and Nickolas Cowans, as well as the attempted murder another man.

On Aug. 20, Crudup was found guilty on four counts of murder, and one count each of attempted murder, felonious assault and having a weapon under disability. All seven counts include a 54-month firearm specification, according to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.

Crudup was named a suspect in the fatal shooting on April 3, 2021, when he shot into a crowd gathered outside an apartment complex on Eaton Avenue in South Franklinton. Williams, 24, and Cowans, 19, were pronounced dead at area hospitals.

At the time of the shooting, Crudup was out of jail on parole from a 2013 conviction for aggravated robbery and weapons charges.

He had fled to California after the shooting but was arrested in Nov. 2, 2021 on domestic violence and assault charges. Seven weeks later, while serving jail time on those charges, he was arrested for murder.

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