Vincennes woman murdered outside liquor store

Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 8:52 PM

By Dustin Fuller

Knox County authorities have confirmed that a woman is dead and a man is in custody following a domestic dispute that turned into a homicide in front of a local liquor store.

At 12:56 PM, Vincennes City Police were called to Cardinal Liquors, 2101 North 6th Street, for a shooting. Upon arrival, officers attempted to render medical aid to the victim but she was later pronounced dead by Knox County Coroner Joe Millspaugh. The suspect fled from the scene in a black SUV. Police located the SUV at 809 Carbon Street. A tenant of the property told police when they arrived on scene that 32-year-old Dylan A. Smith of Vincennes entered the residence and was armed with a knife. After a standoff with authorities, Smith was later taken away with police deploying less-than-lethal devices.

Smith was charged with murder and booked into the Knox County Jail.

The deceased was identified as 30-year-old Taylor Hendershot of Vincennes. Hendershot was the stepdaughter of current Knox County Superior Court 1 Judge, Gara Lee.

According to the Lawrence County States Attorney's office, Smith was recently charged with aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery causing bodily harm after Smith allegedly knocked out several teeth of Hendershot at a bar in Westport. Smith is scheduled to be in court in Lawrence County on August 20.