A Hamilton County jury has found Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious ᴀssault in the death of Deputy Larry Henderson. The verdict was announced on October 23, 2026, after several days of deliberations at the conclusion of a closely watched trial in Cincinnati.

The case stems from events on May 2, 2025. That afternoon, Henderson, a Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy, was directing traffic near Burnet Woods in connection with University of Cincinnati graduation ceremonies. Hinton drove his vehicle into the deputy, striking and killing him. The collision occurred only hours after Hinton had watched body-camera video of the fatal shooting of his 19-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, by a Cincinnati police officer the previous day. Prosecutors later reviewed the circumstances of Ryan’s death and determined that the officer’s use of force was justified.

At trial, the central question before the jury was Hinton’s state of mind and intent at the moment of the crash. The defense, led by attorney Clyde Bennett, argued that Hinton was experiencing acute psycH๏τic symptoms and severe mental illness. They contended that he did not understand the wrongfulness of his actions and that the collision was not a deliberate attempt to kill the deputy. The prosecution maintained that the evidence showed Hinton intentionally drove into Henderson after recognizing the uniform, acting in the aftermath of his son’s death.

The jury of seven women and five men rejected the not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity defense. While they convicted Hinton of murder, they declined to find him guilty on the more serious charges of aggravated murder. Instead, they returned guilty verdicts on reckless homicide as lesser-included offenses, along with felonious ᴀssault counts that specifically recognized Henderson’s status as a peace officer at the time.

Under Ohio law, a murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek a sentence within that range. Sentencing is scheduled for November 16, 2026. Bennett stated after the verdict that the family is disappointed and that an appeal will be filed within 30 days of sentencing. He noted that video evidence of the crash appeared to carry significant weight with the jury.

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey described the outcome as providing a measure of closure for the department after the emotional strain of the trial, during which deputies relived the circumstances of Henderson’s death. Prosecutors expressed hope that the verdict would offer Henderson’s family some sense of justice, while acknowledging that nothing could fully restore what was lost. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson also issued a statement supporting the jury’s decision and recognizing the impact of the loss on the community and Henderson’s family.

The case drew widespread attention because of the rapid sequence of two deaths involving law enforcement and the complex questions surrounding Hinton’s mental condition at the time of the crash that killed Deputy Henderson. With the guilt phase complete, attention now turns to the upcoming sentencing hearing and the anticipated appeal.

Sources : FOX19