Opinion ID: 1285745
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Brandi Henderson Murder

Text: In March 1994, Brandi Henderson was living in an apartment with her boyfriend, Verness Lamar Woods, and their ten-month-old son, T.W. On 9 March 1994, Woods was at the apartment taking care of T.W. because Henderson had a doctor's appointment. As Henderson was leaving, defendant went to the apartment to say he was leaving town. Defendant stayed for only a few minutes and then left. Henderson returned during the afternoon. Around five o'clock in the evening, Woods left to go to work. When Woods left, Henderson and T.W. were alone in the apartment, the apartment was neat and clean, and the front door was locked. Woods returned to the apartment around midnight to find the front door unlocked, items scattered about the living room, and the stereo missing. Woods then went through the apartment. He first came to T.W.'s bedroom where he turned on the light and saw T.W. sitting on the bed gasping for air with something white coming out of his mouth and a pair of shorts around his neck. Woods immediately ran to T.W. to remove the shorts, which were tied tightly around T.W.'s neck. Woods then realized that Henderson was lying facedown on the bed. Woods rolled her onto her back and saw that towels were tied around her neck and that her face was blue. Woods removed the two towels from Henderson's neck and then called 911. He moved Henderson's body from the bed to the floor and began administering CPR pursuant to instructions from the 911 operator. When police officers arrived, it was obvious Henderson was dead. T.W. was taken to the hospital. Upon being taken to Carolinas Medical Center, Dr. Tom Brewer examined T.W. in the emergency room. Dr. Brewer testified that T.W. was awake, breathing, and had stable vital signs. However, his failure to pull away when stuck with a needle was some evidence that he was not acting normally. There were red marks around T.W.'s neck consistent with something being tied around his neck. In addition, there was very fine bruising on T.W.'s cheeks and eyelids caused by a buildup of blood pressure as a result of his jugular vein being blocked. Moreover, T.W.'s altered mental status indicated his brain was not functioning normally because of some compromise of blood flow to the brain. Within fifteen to thirty minutes, T.W. became more alert and began interacting with his environment. Dr. Brewer testified that he believed the ligature and T.W.'s injuries caused great pain and suffering. Dr. Sullivan performed an autopsy on Henderson's body on 10 March 1994. Dr. Sullivan observed minor blunt-trauma injuries and lacerations. He also observed evidence of strangulation including small hemorrhages in the eyes, over the skin of the face and neck, in the muscles in the front of the neck, and in the lining of the voice box. Dr. Sullivan opined that the cause of death was strangulation. Defendant confessed that he planned to murder Henderson on Tuesday morning, but when he arrived at the apartment, Woods was present. Defendant left the apartment, found Baucom's apartment in the same apartment complex, and murdered Baucom. He returned to Henderson's apartment the same night when he knew Woods would be at work. Defendant pretended he had something to leave for Woods. Henderson and defendant talked for a while, and then defendant asked for something to drink. When Henderson reached into the cabinet, defendant choked her and told her to go into the bedroom. Henderson begged defendant to allow her to hold her son, but he said, I don't know if that would be a good idea for what we're about to do. Defendant told her this was also going to be a robbery and demanded money. Henderson gave defendant a Pringle's can filled with approximately twenty dollars worth of coins and said there was no other money in the house. Defendant also told Henderson he would be taking the television and stereo when he left. Defendant then told Henderson to remove her clothes, which she did. Henderson grabbed her son, laid him across her chest, and turned his head away so he could not see what was going on. Defendant and Henderson started to have sexual intercourse in Henderson's bedroom but moved to T.W.'s bedroom so he would not cry. Once in T.W.'s room, defendant and Henderson continued to have sexual intercourse, with T.W. lying across Henderson's chest. Afterwards, defendant told Henderson to put her clothes back on, and he put his clothes on. Defendant went into the bathroom, got a towel, and wiped off everything. Thereafter, defendant folded the towel, put it around Henderson's neck, and strangled her to death. Henderson's body fell to the floor. Defendant picked up Henderson's body and put it onto T.W.'s bed. He also tied the towel in a knot around her neck. T.W. started crying, so defendant gave him a pacifier. Defendant looked for something T.W. could drink but could not find anything. Defendant then took another towel from the bathroom and tied the towel tight around T.W.'s neck so it would be difficult for him to breathe and so he would stop crying. T.W. stopped crying and laid down next to his mother's body. Defendant then ran into the living room, disconnected the stereo, and loaded it into Baucom's car. Defendant also took a television that was sitting on the floor. Before leaving, defendant took some food that had been delivered and the container of coins. Defendant sold the television and stereo for $175.00 which he used to purchase crack cocaine.