Marjester “Marty” Thornton, a 37-year-old Black man, was at his parents’ home in Columbus, Georgia, on the evening of September 25, 2021. Around 9:30 p.m., as he walked out of the house on Urban Avenue while on the phone, he was shot. Police responded to the 3200 block of the street to find Thornton suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:05 p.m.
The sounds of the attack were captured on a
neighbor's security camera: three booming gunshots, the sound of a car speeding away, and the screams of Thornton's family as they found him dying in the front yard. Witnesses told police they saw a red Mustang racing from the area. The Columbus Police Department launched a homicide investigation, and suspicion soon fell on Ruben "Rich" Hensley, a man described as Thornton's best friend.
Investigators alleged Hensley killed Thornton out of jealousy, believing Thornton was having an affair with his estranged wife, Jasmine Hall. During the subsequent trial, Hall testified that she and Thornton were just close friends and had never been lovers. The investigation uncovered key evidence against Hensley, including cell phone data that placed him near the shooting. A few hours after the homicide, around 1 a.m., Hensley’s red Mustang was found burning on Moye Road. Arson investigators determined the fire was deliberately set, and inside the vehicle, police recovered a .223-caliber rifle shell casing. A medical examiner later testified that Thornton's fatal wound was caused by a similar "high-velocity round."
On December 20, 2021, a task force including the U.S. Marshal’s Office arrested Hensley in DeKalb County, Georgia. He was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and first-degree arson, among other counts, and pleaded not guilty. His case went to trial in Muscogee Superior Court in March 2024. The prosecution argued that Hensley had stalked and ambushed his friend, while the defense contended he acted in the heat of passion.
On March 15, 2024, after deliberating for about three hours, the jury found Ruben Hensley guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, first-degree arson, and using a gun to commit a crime. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing the case to a legal conclusion.
