In the quiet community of Mount Morris, Michigan, the life of 35-year-old Mallory Dunnivant was tragically cut short on the evening of January 11, 2023. A senseless act of violence, stemming from a domestic dispute, left a family shattered and a community in mourning. Dunnivant, a beloved mother and a dedicated paraprofessional at a local elementary school, was fatally shot in her third-floor apartment at the Harvard Apartments building.
The events leading to her death began with a
heated argument between Dunnivant's sister and her ex-boyfriend, 26-year-old Cedric Thomas Hendrickson of Burton. The couple had recently ended their relationship, and on that fateful night, Hendrickson, accompanied by his new girlfriend, drove to Dunnivant's apartment complex in search of his ex. A verbal altercation ensued, with Hendrickson shouting from the parking lot at his ex-girlfriend, who was at the window of her sister’s apartment. Inside, Dunnivant and five young children were also present.
As Hendrickson and his girlfriend began to drive away, the confrontation took a deadly turn. He discharged a firearm 11 times towards the apartment window, with one of the bullets striking and killing Mallory Dunnivant. Her sister was kneeling beside her when police, responding to a 9-1-1 call, arrived to find her unresponsive on the floor. Despite the immediate response, her life could not be saved.
Law enforcement quickly identified Cedric Thomas Hendrickson as the primary suspect, leading to his subsequent arrest. The investigation and legal proceedings culminated in a jury finding Hendrickson guilty on all twenty counts brought against him on December 12, 2024. The charges included first-degree premeditated murder, five counts of assault with intent to murder, thirteen related firearm charges, and one count of domestic violence. For his crimes, Hendrickson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring that the man responsible for the tragic and untimely death of Mallory Dunnivant would be held accountable for his actions.
