Richard Henyard

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Richard Henyard
Richard Henyard.jpg
mug shot of Henyard
Born(1974-06-26)June 26, 1974
DiedSeptember 23, 2008(2008-09-23) (aged 34)[1]
Florida
Criminal statusExecuted
Conviction(s)First degree murder (2 counts), kidnapping, sexual battery, armed robbery[1]
Criminal penaltyDeath sentence

Richard Henyard (June 26, 1974 – September 23, 2008) was an American murderer executed in Florida for the double murder of sisters Jamilya and Jasmine Lewis in January 1993, and the rape and attempted murder of the girls’ mother.[2]

Crimes[]

On the evening of January 30, 1993,[3] Dorothy Lewis and her daughters arrived at a Winn-Dixie supermarket in Eustis. As Lewis, the eventual survivor, and her daughters, the victims, entered the Winn-Dixie, she noticed a few people sitting on a bench near the doors. After Lewis exited the store with Jamilya, age 7, and Jasmine, age 3, she walked to her car and placed her daughters in the front passenger seat.

As Lewis crossed the rear of the car to get to the driver's side, she noticed Alfonza Smalls approaching her. Smalls then revealed a gun tucked into his waistband. Lewis and her daughters were ordered into the back of the car as Smalls and Henyard entered the front. The Lewis car left town with Henyard driving and Smalls issuing directions. Prior to the abduction of Lewis and her daughters, a witness observed Henyard and Smalls loitering outside of the Winn-Dixie. During the drive, Smalls repeatedly demanded that Lewis keep her crying daughters quiet.[4]

Later, Henyard pulled the car over at a remote area and took Lewis out of the car. Henyard forced her against the trunk and raped her. Henyard then told Lewis to sit on the ground. She hesitated, and Henyard shot her in the leg and forced her to the ground. He then shot her an additional three times at close range, wounding her in the mouth, neck, and head. After she was unconscious, Henyard and Smalls rolled her over to the shoulder of the road.

Lewis survived, however, and several hours later regained consciousness and went to a nearby house for help. The occupants contacted the police and Lewis collapsed and waited for the officers to arrive. As Henyard and Smalls drove away from the scene of the shooting, Jamilya and Jasmine Lewis repeatedly asked for their mother. Henyard pulled the car over after a short period of time and removed the girls from the car. Henyard and Smalls took the girls away from the road, out of the clear view of passersby, and Henyard killed the girls; Jamilya was shot through the top of her head while Jasmine was shot in her left eye.[5] Henyard and Smalls then threw their bodies into some brush over a fence.

Smalls, Henyard, and a third individual arrived at the home of Bryant Smith in a blue car. Henyard boasted about raping and killing Lewis, unaware that she was still alive. He also showed Smith the gun he used. Later that evening, Henyard went by the Smalls' residence where Colinda Smalls, Alfonza's sister, noticed blood on Henyard's hands. He explained that the blood was from a minor knife accident.

On January 31, the next day, Henyard's aunt, Linda Miller, agreed to drive him to Smalls' residence so that Henyard could speak with Smalls. Henyard made a trip to the Eustis Police Department that same Sunday claiming to have information concerning the Lewis case. He offered knowledge of the crime, and claimed that he was present at the scene of the crime. Henyard's initial story pointed to Smalls and another individual as the perpetrators. However, when an officer noticed blood spots on Henyard's socks, he admitted to kidnapping, raping and shooting Lewis, yet maintained that he did not shoot her daughters. The police apprehended Smalls and discovered the murder weapon after a search of his bedroom.

Sentencing and execution[]

Henyard was sentenced to death on August 19, 1994, and put in lockdown. Henyard's death warrant was signed on June 9, 2008.[6] Henyard was the 66th execution in the state since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1977.

Henyard was executed on September 23, 2008, by lethal injection. The execution was delayed by two hours because Henyard had two appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court trying to block the execution; both were denied.

Smalls was sentenced to life without parole as he was ineligible for the death penalty due to his young age.[7]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Inmate Release Information Detail - Richard Henyard". Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  2. ^ "Executed - Richard Henyard - Florida Death Row - Scheduled Execution : Pro Death Penalty Information - Scheduled Executions". Off2dr.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  3. ^ "Home | Commission on Capital Cases". Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  4. ^ "459 F. 3d 1217 - Henyard v. McDonough". Open Jurist. Archived from the original on 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  5. ^ "Lawyers for Richard Henyard say evidence proves he didn't kill ..." Topix. Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  6. ^ "Richard Henyard death warrant signed". TCADP. 2008-07-09. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  7. ^ "Keep child murderer Alfonza Smalls in prison | Commentary". Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
Preceded by
William Murray 		People executed in US after Baze v. Rees ruling Succeeded by
Jessie Cumming
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