A South Bend man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for a shooting death at University Park Mall that led to a hung jury earlier this year.

Dazhon Howard, 23, was charged with murder in the September 2020 shooting death of Delaney Crosby Jr.

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office consulted Crosby’s family before extending the plea deal to Howard. As part of the arrangement, the Prosecutor’s Office will dismiss the murder charge.

The deal states that the initially-executed portion of the sentence will be 10 years.

The parties remain free to argue on the total sentence and all other terms of the sentence, which will be handed down in early June.

The following news release was sent to 95.3 MNC from the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office:

Dazhon Howard, 23, of South Bend, pled guilty by agreement to voluntary manslaughter, a level 2 felony, in the 2020 death of Delaney Crosby Jr., 23.

Howard was charged with murder in the September 12, 2020, shooting death of Crosby.
On March 24, 2022, a trial resulted in a hung jury. The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s
Office consulted Crosby’s family before extending a plea agreement to Howard. As part of
the plea agreement, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office will dismiss the murder
charge.

According to the agreement, the initially executed portion of the sentence will be 10 years.
The parties remain free to argue on the total sentence and all other terms of the sentence.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2022, at 9 a.m. before the Honorable Judge Jeffrey
Sanford.