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Memphis man convicted of shooting deaths of two women in southeast Shelby County

A jury convicted Darrin Walker after a five-day trial, with both counts of first-degree murder carrying life sentences.
Credit: Shelby County Sheriff's Office
Darrin Walker

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man who arranged a date with two women online and then shot them both was convicted Friday on two counts of first-degree murder.

The Shelby County District Attorney's Office said a jury convicted Darrin Walker, 26, after a five-day trial, with both counts carrying life sentences. He will learn on Sept. 23 whether the sentences will be concurrent or consecutive. 

The shootings happened just before 3 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2020, inside a car parked at Bethay Drive and Belmont Run Cove in southeast Shelby County when Walker became angry and started shooting.

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Sheriff's detectives found Destiny Wilkins, 25, in the street suffering from several gunshot wounds. She told officers a man, later identified as Walker, shot her and a friend, and then forced her out of the car.

She said Walker drove off with her wounded friend, Nayeli 'Courtney' Love, 23, still in the back seat. The car was found abandoned later about two miles west at Lake Valley Drive and Barkshire Drive, a block from Walker's home.

Love was found dead in the back seat from multiple gunshots. Wilkins later died from her multiple wounds at a hospital.

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Detectives used information from cell phones and neighborhood video to link Walker to the murders. He was arrested about 10 days later. Walker was on diversion probation for a previous kidnapping conviction at the time of the murders.

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