A somber discovery was made on a Friday morning in Lexington, Kentucky, at Henley Welding and Iron Works. An employee arriving for work around 8 a.m. found the owner, Clarence T. Henley, a 57-year-old male, with a gunshot wound to his chest. The Lexington police were promptly called to the business located on Delaware Avenue.
Investigators quickly determined that Henley's death was a homicide.
His untimely passing sent a shockwave through his circle of employees, who regarded him as a generous and business-savvy man who took care of his people. The scene at the welding and iron works business became an active investigation, with police and the coroner's office blocking off the area as they began to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. An autopsy was scheduled to be conducted to aid in the investigation. At the time of the initial reports, no information regarding any suspects or potential motives had been released by the authorities.
Clarence Taylor 'Big C' Henley, born on October 22, 1961, in London, Kentucky, was a loving husband of 32 years and a father to twin children. A 1979 graduate of Lafayette High School, he was the proud owner and operator of Henley Welding and Iron Works for three decades. Beyond his professional life, he was an avid outdoorsman and a dedicated supporter of Lexington Catholic High School, as well as local youth baseball and football leagues. His family remembered him as the epitome of a great man—hardworking, ethical, genuine, smart, witty, caring, and exceptionally kind. Despite the ongoing investigation into his tragic death, no arrests have been publicly announced in connection with his murder.
