Retired Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson was struck by a car and killed on May 2 while assisting with traffic during University of Cincinnati graduation ceremonies. The driver of the car, 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., now faces an aggravated murder charge in connection with the crash.
“He was down there for the University of Cincinnati, to help them out there in their commencement, and got targeted because of a uniform,” Lewis said. “We’re gut-punched. There’s no words to describe it.”
Lewis said he and Henderson met around 27 years ago. Their paths crossed from time to time, and then several years ago, Lewis began working security with Henderson at Mercy Health – Anderson Hospital.
“The way he helps people — I hope it inspires everyone else to want to be like him,” said Lewis, who is Mercy Anderson’s security manager. “He didn’t hide himself away in our office. He didn’t hide himself away in his police vehicle. When (patients) came here, he was out front talking to everybody, asking if they need help.”
As recently as this week, Henderson was scheduled to work shifts at the hospital. Lewis said other security staff are picking up overtime to cover them.
“We all loved him. I loved him. We all strive to be like him and want to be like him,” he said.
To those who knew him, Henderson seemed to be everywhere and left an impression on everyone.
“I’m not sure when he slept, because he was absolutely involved in everything,” Hamilton County Sheriff’s Lt. Erik Pfaffl said. “He filled so many roles in the sheriff’s office. He was involved in our bomb squad, he was our dive team leader, commander at one point, he was an FBI task force officer.”
Pfaffl first met Henderson in 2001. Pfaffl was a young patrol officer and Henderson, his trainer.
“So, that’s where our relationship started, and he was everything that I needed, and every deputy here that was trained by him — he just did an unimaginable job,” Pfaffl said. “He was a fantastic training officer for me and for so many others in this agency and other agencies as well.”
Henderson formally retired from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in December but stayed on with the department as a special deputy.
In his passing, Pfaffl was charged with helping plan end-of-life ceremonies for his former mentor.
“He deserves the highest honor, and we’re trying to give him that. It’s been difficult because this is uncharted territory,” he said. “We have not had a deputy murdered — murdered — in a long time.”
About the Author