Changing Mind, Derrius Bauer Accepts 15-Year Plea Deal

At the eleventh hour in his prosecution, 30-year-old Derrius Bauer accepted a plea deal for 15 years in prison in connection to a 2019 gun killing at a Circle K station in Palm Coast. Bauer had initially rejected this deal, and was facing a trial for first degree murder that would likely have landed him in prison for life. Under this deal, Bauer is pleading no contest to a charge of accessory after the fact to a capital offense. The deal is a massive step down from what he was charged with at the time of his arrest in January 2021: first degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Accessory to Murder Though he was charged with murder, Bauer was not accused of having fired the killing shot himself. According to law enforcement, he was the getaway driver when Marcus Chamblin, 30, shot and killed Deon Jenkins at the Circle K station at Belle Terre Pkwy and Palm Coast Pkwy. Bauer was sentenced on Thursday to fifteen years in prison, with credit for 1,540 days already served – good for four years and change. With stipulations for good behavior, Bauer could potentially be out in as soon as eight years, when he’s 38 years old. Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols, who sentenced Bauer, had strongly suggested he take the deal rather than face a murder trial like the one that landed Chamblin in prison for life. Case Closed at Last “This guy tried to thwart our investigation at every turn, but in the end it failed and he is now joining his dirtbag friend in prison,” said Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly. “Even after Marcus Chamblin was convicted, Bauer continued to play games, but eventually the rolling of the dice and likely spending life in prison changed his mind. I believe he finally got smart and made a better choice, because our detectives and partners built a strong case that he would have likely spent the rest of his life in prison if a jury convicted him at a trial.” The plea deal was endorsed by the family of victim Deon Jenkins, who were reportedly pleased to have seen Chamblin convicted and sentenced to life. Bauer had long maintained his innocence through the case, which ultimately took almost six years to resolve. The investigation alone took 15 months, before Chamblin was arrested in Gulf County, Florida. Bauer, meanwhile, was arrested in Jacksonville. Both were later extradited to Flagler County. Records show Marcus Chamblin was a resident of Berkshire Lane in Palm Coast’s B Section, while Derrius Bauer is listed as having resided in Orange Park, Florida. Bauer had no prior arrests in Flagler County, while Chamblin had previous charges for delivery and carry of an unlicensed firearm in April 2014, plus failure to appear the following month. “I want to commend and thank everyone that worked on this case, from the beginning of the investigation in 2019 to securing the final conviction this week, for their dedication to serving justice for Deon and his family,” Staly continued. “This was the most extensive case in the history of our agency and involved over 15 partner agencies as we pursued the killer and his accomplice across the country, but the resources and time were worth it to put these two behind bars where they belong.”