Lonnel Henderson, a 26-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on October 23, 2020, in Harrells, North Carolina. The incident occurred outside his residence at Wells MHP Lane in Wallace, NC. Lonnel was in a domestic relationship with Marshje Swinson, a 29-year-old woman from Willard, NC, and they had a child together. On that fateful day, an altercation between the couple escalated, resulting in Swinson shooting and killing Lonnel.
The case was thoroughly investigated by the Wallace Police Department, with Captain Weston Padgett leading the interviews and Chief Jimmy Crayton conducting the crime scene investigation. The investigation revealed that Swinson also assaulted Lonnel's sister, Shardonnay Langley, a 22-year-old African American female, during the incident. Langley suffered a gunshot wound to her forehead and was struck with the butt of the firearm on the side of her head.
The trial for Marshje Swinson began on May 30, 2023, in Duplin County Superior Court. The prosecution presented evidence, including witness testimonies, law enforcement accounts, expert forensic evidence from the North Carolina State Crime Lab in Raleigh, and electronic data collected from Swinson's cell phone and social media accounts. Swinson testified in her defense, claiming that the shootings were accidental. However, the jury found her guilty of second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
Judge George R. Hicks of Cumberland County sentenced Swinson to two consecutive active sentences: a minimum of 240 months and a maximum of 300 months for second-degree murder, followed by a minimum of 73 months and a maximum of 100 months for the consolidated felony assaults. The trial lasted three weeks, and the jury deliberated for almost four hours over two days before reaching their verdict.
The case of Lonnel Henderson's death highlights the devastating impact of domestic violence and the importance of thorough investigations and fair trials in seeking justice for victims and their families.
