On an autumn evening in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the life of 42-year-old Kippy Reco Henry, a man known for his jovial nature and ever-present smile, was tragically cut short. On October 12, 2021, Henry was in his burgundy Dodge Caravan at the intersection of 7th and Gordon streets when another vehicle, a light-colored Nissan Altima, pulled alongside him. The driver of the Altima opened fire, shattering the windows of the Caravan and striking Henry multiple times.
First responders rushed him to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, but he was pronounced dead that evening. The cause of his death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner was ruled a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect. Surveillance footage from nearby properties captured the entire incident, showing the Nissan Altima and the muzzle flashes from the driver's side. An eyewitness identified the shooter as 25-year-old Justin Nevius of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Within hours of the shooting, Nevius, a convicted felon who was not legally permitted to possess a firearm, was taken into custody in his hometown with the assistance of the local police department. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and a firearms offense and extradited to Pennsylvania to face the charges.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of closure to the case. On May 3, 2023, Justin Nevius entered an open guilty plea to third-degree murder and persons not to possess a firearm. This plea was in connection with the death of Kippy Henry, which occurred after a verbal exchange when Henry reportedly cut Nevius off in traffic, leading Nevius to follow and ultimately shoot him. Following his guilty plea, Nevius was sentenced to an aggregate term of thirty to sixty years in prison, with an additional twelve months of probation to follow.
