Rodney Hinton Jr. was convicted of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault in Cincinnati on Friday for striking and killing off-duty Hamilton County Special Deputy Larry Henderson with his car in May 2025, hours after viewing body-camera footage of his teenage son’s fatal shooting by police.
The verdict arrived Friday morning. Jurors spent more than two days deliberating at the conclusion of a nearly two-week trial in Hamilton County.
Hinton, 40, faced charges that included aggravated murder, murder, and felonious assault for the May 2, 2025, crash that killed Henderson.
Henderson was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati for a graduation ceremony.
Insanity Defense Rejected in Deputy Death Trial
Defense attorney Clyde Bennett II asked the jury to find Hinton not guilty by reason of insanity. He argued that his client was suffering from a psychotic episode and acute bereavement at the time of the crash.
A defense expert witness testified. The witness stated that Hinton could not legally distinguish between right and wrong after watching body-camera footage of Cincinnati police shooting and killing his 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, just a day earlier.
Four people, including Ryan Hinton, were in the allegedly stolen car, and all of them began to run when officers approached. Police stated that Ryan Hinton was armed and that an officer fired at least four shots during the pursuit after another officer shouted a warning about a weapon.
County prosecutors subsequently reviewed the incident and determined the officer was legally justified in his use of force.
Following the viewing of that body-camera footage at police headquarters, Rodney Hinton left the building in his Ford Focus. Prosecutors argued that he deliberately tracked Deputy Henderson as he directed traffic.
Assistant Prosecutor Kate Burroughs pointed to vehicle data showing the car accelerated from zero to more than 43 mph in seconds. The accelerator was pressed down 93.3%.
The defendant drove towards Larry Henderson, a law enforcement officer, with the specific intent to kill him. Just because there’s no other logical explanation.
Kate Burroughs, Assistant Prosecutor
During closing arguments, Burroughs described how Henderson attempted to step out of the way of the oncoming automobile. The driver steered in the same direction.
The impact tossed the deputy into the air before he landed on the pavement.
Jury Convicts Hinton on Multiple Charges
Jurors ultimately rejected the insanity defense, convicting Hinton of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and two counts of reckless homicide. On the most serious charges of aggravated murder, the jury opted instead for the lesser included offense of reckless homicide.
Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey told reporters that the outcome offered justice for the fallen deputy. Henderson had retired from the sheriff’s office just five months before the crash and was working an off-duty traffic assignment when he was struck.
Sheriff McGuffey noted that the verdict provided an opportunity for her department to come together after weeks of difficult testimony.
During the proceedings, Lori Henderson shared emotional memories of her final moments with her husband before he left for his final shift, recounting how they exchanged expressions of love.
Sentencing Set for November 16
A murder conviction carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Judge Jody Luebbers scheduled Hinton’s sentencing for November 16 at 9 a.m.
The fight is not over,
Bennett told reporters, confirming that the defense plans to appeal the conviction.