In the early morning hours of December 3, 2014, Vincent 'Vinnie' Starling, a 51-year-old man, was found shot to death on the front porch of his home in the 2100 block of Ratcliffe Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. Starling, who lived alone with his two dogs, was known in his neighborhood for his kindness and his elaborate Christmas decorations and parties.
Just two days before his death, he had finished decorating his home for the holidays and was planning a large Christmas party for family and friends.
The Louisville Metro Police Department quickly began an investigation, canvassing the Hallmark Neighborhood for any leads. Initially, police had no suspects. Starling's friends and family were devastated, remembering him as a generous person who would do anything for anybody. They believed the motive for the killing may have been a robbery, as Starling was likely leaving for work around the time of the shooting.
A week after the shooting, LMPD arrested two individuals in connection with Starling's murder: Robert Carr and She'Cola Henderson. Carr and Henderson, who were reportedly living together, were taken into custody late on December 10, 2014, and both were charged with murder. Police indicated that Carr was the one who shot Starling with a stolen weapon. Henderson was accused of assisting him. While the exact relationship between the suspects and the victim was not immediately clear, police believed they were associates. Authorities suggested that robbery was a possible motive for the crime. Robert Carr had an extensive criminal history, with 33 prior arrests, a dozen of which were for drug-related charges. In contrast, She'Cola Henderson had no previous criminal record. Both suspects pleaded not guilty, and each was held on a half-million-dollar bond. The police did not rule out the possibility of other individuals being involved in the crime.
