Murderer of Pregnant Woman and Unborn Fetus Sent to Prison for 68 Years

Prosecutors in the Office of District Attorney General Charme P. Allen have sent convicted murderer Brandon Scott Donaldson to prison for the next 68 years. A Knox County jury convicted Donaldson in January for the murders of Marcia Crider and her unborn child. The jury also convicted Donaldson of the Attempted Second Degree Murder of Pebbles Crider and Employing a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony.

The case arose out of an altercation in February 2013 where Donaldson fired eleven rounds at Marcia Crider and her mother as they drove away after an argument. Crider was struck by two of the rounds, one of which killed her unborn child. Crider was thirteen-weeks pregnant. Donaldson is the first defendant convicted in Knox County under a law that allows for the prosecution of defendants who murder a fetus, regardless of the viability of the unborn child.

Following his conviction in January, Donaldson was facing a minimum of 18 years in prison. Prosecutors Kevin Allen and Molly Martin argued for more time in today’s sentencing hearing, and Judge Steve Sword imposed the 68-year term. Donaldson, age 24, must serve at least 60 years of his sentence before he would be eligible for parole.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.