On February 21, 2007, a Lynchburg jury found Garlon Deshawn Cabler, 27, of Lynchburg, guilty of first degree murder in the death of David Devin Poe. Poe was murdered at his Early Street home on June 11, 2006. In addition to the murder conviction, the jury also found Cabler guilty of the other ten felonies he faced, including abduction, burglary, two counts of robbery, unlawfully wearing a mask, and five counts of using a firearm to commit felonies.

The Commonwealth’s evidence established that Cabler, along with accomplices, entered Poe’s residence late in the evening on June 11 and began beating Poe and his fiancee, Danielle Parrish, in their upstairs bedroom while demanding money and drugs. While Cabler and another man confronted Poe and Parrish upstairs, a third man held Parrish’s eight-year-old son captive downstairs. After Parrish had given the intruders all the money she had, they brought the couple downstairs where they continued to beat Poe and demand more money. With his fiancee seated on the floor beside him holding their two-week old infant daughter, Poe was shot at close range in the back of the head. In addition to the eight-year old boy and the infant, there were two other young girls in the house at the time of the murder.

Investigator Barbara Gibson of the Lynchburg Police department testified that Cabler was identified as a suspect within an hour of the murder. He was arrested the following morning and DNA evidence revealed spots of Poe’s blood on the pants he was wearing at the time of his arrest. Cabler was interviewed three times by police and changed his story throughout each interview.

The jury deliberated for less than an hour following the two day trial and found Cabler guilty on all charges. Cabler faced a minimum sentence of ninety three years for his crimes. The jury recommended a sentence of one life term plus an additional 168 years, and a fine of $200,000.00. Cabler will be formally sentenced by Judge J. Leyburn Mosby on June 8, 2007. Judge Mosby may not increase the jury sentence, but he does have the authority to suspend as much of it as he sees fit.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorneys Chuck Felmlee and Jeff Bennett. Cabler was represented by Lynchburg attorney Mark Arthur.