On the night of April 5, 2022, a violent altercation unfolded at the Snappy Mart, also known as the 14-Junction Truck Stop, located on U.S. Highway 63 North in West Plains, Missouri. Just before 11:00 p.m., police officers were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered 34-year-old male James Harlan Vineyard lying on the ground at the entrance of the business, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders transported Vineyard to Ozarks Healthcare, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at 11:42 p.m.
The investigation, led by the West Plains Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, quickly focused on a suspect who had fled the scene in a red Chevrolet Avalanche. Surveillance footage from the business captured the incident, showing the shooting occurred during a confrontation. Witness accounts and subsequent police interviews revealed that Vineyard had been involved in a physical struggle with another man, Garrett T. Harbin. During this fight, it was alleged that Vineyard pulled a knife, prompting the shooter to intervene.
Law enforcement identified the shooter as 22-year-old Damian Paul Henry of West Plains. Deputies from the Howell County Sheriff’s Office located Henry at his residence shortly after the incident and took him into custody. During questioning, Henry admitted to firing his weapon, stating that he did so in defense of Harbin because Vineyard had produced a knife. Following his arrest, Henry was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. A subsequent search of Henry’s vehicle led to additional felony charges against both him and Harbin for the delivery of controlled substances, as authorities reportedly found marijuana, wax, psilocybin mushrooms, and methamphetamine in the car.
The legal proceedings regarding the death of James Vineyard concluded in early 2023. Damian Henry stood trial in Howell County, where his defense team argued that his actions were justified as the defense of another person. On January 14, 2023, a jury acquitted Henry, finding him not guilty of the murder and armed criminal action charges, accepting the explanation that he had acted to protect his companion from a lethal threat during the altercation.
