Jury convicts Rodney Hinton Jr. of murder in deputy’s 2025 traffic‑detail death

CINCINNATI — A Hamilton County jury has convicted Rodney Hinton Jr. in the 2025 death of Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr., rejecting his plea of “not guilty by reason of insanity.”

Jurors reached the verdict Friday, Oct. 24 after more than two days of deliberations and nearly two weeks of emotional testimony in Common Pleas Court. The panel declined to convict Hinton of aggravated murder. Instead, they chose the lesser offense of reckless homicide on the two most serious counts.

Henderson, a veteran Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy who had recently retired but continued off‑duty traffic work, was struck and killed while directing vehicles near a college graduation in Cincinnati on May 2, 2025.

Crash followed viewing of body‑camera video in Rodney Hinton Jr. son’s fatal shooting

The deadly crash occurred only hours after Hinton and relatives watched police body‑camera footage showing a Cincinnati officer fatally shoot his 18‑year‑old son, Ryan Hinton, during a chase involving a reported stolen vehicle.

Investigators allege Ryan was armed and pointed a gun at officers before he was shot twice. The officer who fired was not charged after a review found the use of force legally justified, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich.

Prosecutors argued the video left Hinton distraught and angry.  They said Hinton left the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office after viewing the body‑camera video, got into his vehicle and later steered toward Deputy Henderson as the deputy tried to move out of the intersection.

Rodney Hinton Jr’s insanity plea rejected despite long mental‑health history

Hinton, 40, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, saying he suffered a psychotic break and was attempting suicide when he drove into the intersection. His defense team highlighted a long history of schizoaffective disorder, other psychiatric diagnoses and years of treatment.

A forensic psychologist called by the defense described Hinton’s mental‑health struggles and trauma after his son’s death. She testified that Hinton reported wanting to die and gave mixed answers about whether he meant to hit the deputy.

However, prosecutors told jurors that Hinton’s illnesses did not prevent him from understanding right and wrong. They emphasized video of the crash, eyewitness accounts and Hinton’s movements before impact, arguing he deliberately targeted Henderson in anger and grief.

Jurors ultimately rejected the insanity defense and found Hinton criminally responsible for Henderson’s death.

Sentencing

A murder conviction in Ohio carries a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. The reckless homicide counts add up to three years each. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 16.

Defense attorney Clyde Bennett II said he was disappointed and vowed to appeal within 30 days, calling his fight for justice “not over.”