In what was described as a quiet Kennesaw, Georgia neighborhood, the life of 21-year-old Sanifu Henry was tragically cut short in the early morning hours of March 15, 2024. A male who had moved with his family from California to escape gun violence, Henry became the victim of a fatal shooting during what police have described as a botched drug deal and robbery attempt.
The incident, which was the first homicide in the city of Kennesaw since 2019, unfolded in the 2600 block of McGuire Drive.
Kennesaw police responded to reports of gunfire just after midnight and discovered evidence of a shooting in the roadway. Shortly thereafter, they were notified that Henry had arrived at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with a gunshot wound. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Investigators believe the motive for the shooting was an attempt to rob Henry and another individual he was with.
Within hours of the shooting, authorities arrested two suspects: 18-year-old Zier Xzavier Green and 19-year-old Re'Shard Marquis Lee. According to arrest warrants, the pair had intended to sell Henry a mixture of suspected marijuana along with non-controlled substances, including oregano and spinach leaves. During the transaction, an exchange of gunfire occurred, leading to Henry's death. His mother remembered him as a protective and caring person who had graduated from Kell High School and played a variety of sports.
Following their arrest, both Green and Lee were held without bond at the Cobb County jail. In April 2024, a Cobb County grand jury indicted both men on seven counts each. The charges against them include three counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
