In the early hours of a Sunday morning, the life of 16-year-old Dennie Lee Henderson, III, a male affectionately known as 'Lil' Dirty,' was tragically cut short. On March 24, 2024, in the parking lot of the Springhill Suites on Whittlesey Boulevard in Columbus, Georgia, Henderson was found deceased, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Police had responded to reports of gunfire in the area around 4 a.m. and discovered the young man's body upon their arrival.
Henderson, an 11th grader at Kendrick High School with a love for video games, basketball, sneakers, and clothes, was pronounced dead at the scene. His smile was said to brighten the sky on a cloudy day, a light extinguished far too soon.
The investigation into Henderson's death led Columbus Police to identify three suspects who they determined acted together in the events that culminated in the fatal shooting. The first arrest came on May 16, 2024, when Ty'Quavious Richmond was taken into custody, a day after a warrant was issued for his arrest. A few months later, on September 17, 2024, Patrick Montgomery, Jr., and Dereon Montgomery were apprehended in Lee County, Alabama. They were extradited to Columbus the following day to face charges in connection with Henderson's murder. The diligent work of the Violent Crimes Unit, supported by the Digital Forensics Unit and the Real Time Crime Center, pieced together the evidence that implicated the three individuals.
Justice for Dennie Henderson saw its day in court, and on October 3, 2025, a Muscogee County jury delivered its verdict. Ty'Quavious Richmond, Patrick Montgomery, Jr., and Dereon Montgomery were all found guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime. Subsequently, each of the three was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. An additional five years was added to each of their sentences for the firearm possession charge, concluding a lengthy and emotional legal process for a community and a family mourning the loss of a young life.
