Man who fatally struck deputy after his son was killed by Cincinnati police is convicted of murder
Ohio Jury Convicts Rodney Hinton Jr. in Death of Sheriff’s Deputy
Goldlaner.com – A Hamilton County jury has found Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murder in the death of Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr., who was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic near a college graduation ceremony in Cincinnati.
The verdict, delivered Friday, also included convictions for reckless homicide and felonious assault. The case drew intense attention because the fatal crash occurred in May 2025, only hours after Hinton and relatives viewed police body-camera video connected to the shooting death of his 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton.
Hinton had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. His attorney, Clyde Bennett II, said an appeal will be filed following the jury’s decision.
A Deputy Remembered for Years of Service
Henderson had devoted decades to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office before retiring a few months before his death. Even after retirement, he continued accepting off-duty work assignments, including traffic-duty details.
He was working one of those assignments when he was killed. Henderson’s death occurred as he helped manage traffic connected to a college graduation, a routine public-safety role that turned deadly.
During his funeral, Henderson was remembered as a committed public servant and supportive colleague who volunteered for difficult and dangerous duties. Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said the jury’s conclusion offered a measure of justice for Henderson and his loved ones.
The jury’s verdict brought some closure and helped provide justice for Henderson.
Mental State Was Central to the Trial
The legal dispute centered largely on Hinton’s condition at the time of the crash. Defense attorneys maintained that he was suffering a psychotic episode and had intended to end his own life when he drove into the intersection.
Bennett told jurors that Hinton’s actions came during an acute mental-health crisis. Hinton had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder as well as other mental illnesses, and the defense argued that those conditions affected his ability to form the criminal intent required for murder.
Prosecutors acknowledged that Hinton was grieving and deeply distressed after his son’s death. They argued, however, that grief and mental illness did not prevent him from recognizing right from wrong. Their case maintained that he deliberately directed his vehicle toward Henderson.
The jury accepted the prosecution’s position, convicting Hinton on the murder charge as well as the additional counts related to the crash.
Sentencing Set for November
The murder conviction carries a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison, with parole eligibility possible. Hinton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16.
His appeal is expected to challenge the outcome of a case where the defense of insanity was a major issue. Such a defense does not simply require proof that a defendant has a psychiatric diagnosis; the central question is whether that condition legally prevented the person from understanding the nature or wrongfulness of the conduct at the time.
The verdict means the jury determined that Hinton’s mental-health history did not meet that legal standard in connection with Henderson’s death.
The Death of Ryan Hinton
The events leading into the crash began after Cincinnati police fatally shot Ryan Hinton during a chase. He was 18 years old.
The officer who fired said Ryan Hinton pointed a gun at him during the encounter. Police officials said he was shot twice. Prosecutors later reviewed the shooting and declined to bring charges against the officer.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said the review concluded that the officer’s use of force was legally justified. Pillich said Ryan Hinton had a loaded firearm and pointed it toward officers when they confronted him.
The officer was “legally justified in his use of force.”
Rodney Hinton Jr. and other family members viewed body-camera footage from the shooting shortly before the crash that killed Henderson. That timing became a key part of the trial’s emotional context, though prosecutors argued it did not excuse the deputy’s death.
A Case With Lasting Consequences
The two deaths placed a painful series of events at the center of public discussion in Cincinnati and Hamilton County: the fatal police shooting of a teenager, a grieving father’s mental-health crisis, and the killing of a veteran deputy serving his community after retirement.
For Henderson’s family and colleagues, the verdict closes the trial phase of a case rooted in a sudden loss during a traffic assignment. For Hinton, sentencing and the planned appeal remain ahead.
The case also underscores the difficult distinction courts must make when mental illness is raised as a defense. A diagnosis may explain elements of a person’s behavior, but criminal responsibility ultimately depends on whether the legal requirements for an insanity defense have been met. In this case, jurors concluded that Hinton was responsible for the death of Deputy Henderson.
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