Man accused of domestic violence murder pleads guilty, faces 26 years in prison
Less than half a year after the murder of a Lexington woman, her husband has entered a guilty plea for charges related to her death.
Stephon Henderson, 59, of Lexington, was charged with murder domestic violence and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun after he allegedly shot and killed his wife, 47-year-old Talina Henderson, the day before Thanksgiving at their Bay Colony home.
Henderson faces 26 years in prison, court records state. He pleaded guilty on March 24.
According to court documents, the charge of a convicted felon in possession of a handgun was amended to convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The murder domestic violence charge remained the same.
Henderson is scheduled for sentencing at 1 p.m. on May 12.
The case gained a significant amount of media attention and public backlash when it was discovered Talina Henderson had filed for an emergency protection order days before her murder — which was denied by a judge.
It was also discovered that Stephon Henderson had a criminal background that included prior instances of domestic violence.
Stephon Henderson was originally also charged with violation of an emergency protection order. However, the charge was revoked by the courts when it was determine an EPO was never actually issued by a judge.
Talina Henderson had filed for an emergency protection order just three days before she was fatally shot, according to court documents.
She alleged her husband was armed and dangerous, and verbally and emotionally abusive. She claimed there were weapons in the home. However, this petition for a protection order was not issued by Family Court Judge Traci Brislin because she determined there was “no imminent threat” at the time the petition was filed.
Talina Henderson had filed for divorce on Nov. 21 – just a day after she filed for the protection order. In the order, she wrote that her husband had threatened her if she continued with the divorce. He also said he would “make up lies about her,” according to Talina Henderson’s petition for a protection order.
This story was originally published April 2, 2023 at 12:40 PM.
