On November 20, 2019, tragedy struck the community of Bay Springs, Mississippi, resulting in the untimely death of 30-year-old Dominique Ann Henry. A Black female resident of the area, Henry was fatally wounded in a shooting incident that immediately drew the attention of local law enforcement and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. The shooting occurred under circumstances involving an alleged vehicle theft, which would later become the focal point of a significant legal inquiry into the
use of force.
The sequence of events leading to Henry's death centered on an encounter with Christopher Wade Robertson, a man with a background in law enforcement. Reports indicate that Henry was allegedly attempting to steal a vehicle belonging to Robertson's wife when the confrontation took place. Robertson, who was off-duty at the time, reportedly discharged his weapon multiple times into the side of the car Henry was occupying. The gunfire struck Henry, resulting in fatal injuries. The MBI arrived on the scene to lead the investigation, examining whether the use of lethal force was justified in response to the alleged property crime.
Following an extensive review of the evidence by the District Attorney's Office and the MBI, a Jasper County grand jury convened to assess the case. In August 2020, authorities announced that Christopher Wade Robertson had been indicted on a charge of manslaughter in connection with Henry's death. Prosecutors alleged that Robertson acted "unnecessarily" when he killed Henry and that he was not acting in self-defense when he fired into the vehicle. At the time of the indictment, the case highlighted questions regarding the boundaries of self-defense and the protection of property.
Christopher Wade Robertson was formerly employed as a police officer with the Laurel Police Department but had been terminated prior to the indictment. His legal troubles extended beyond the death of Dominique Henry. Around the same time he was charged with manslaughter, he also faced a separate indictment for aggravated assault related to a 2018 incident involving the beating of a man named James Barnett during a traffic stop. In that separate case, Robertson was accused of acting with "extreme indifference to the value of human life."
While the manslaughter charge regarding Henry's death marked a significant step in the pursuit of justice for her family, Robertson’s legal battles continued to unfold over the following years. In June 2024, following a mistrial the previous year, Robertson was found guilty in the aggravated assault case concerning James Barnett. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, with two years to serve and the remainder on post-release supervision. The complex web of legal proceedings against the former officer has kept the circumstances of Dominique Henry's death in the public eye as her family and the Bay Springs community continue to mourn her loss.
