The attempted murder trial of a Malvern man accused of breaking into his ex-wife's home in Hot Springs and stabbing her multiple times last year began Wednesday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Tony Leon Henderson, 46, who has remained in custody since his arrest the night of the attack on Feb. 2, 2017, is charged with criminal attempt at first-degree murder, amended from an original charge of second-degree domestic battery and aggravated residential burglary. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Deputy Prosecutor Kara Petro, who is representing the state along with Chief Deputy Prosecutor Joe Graham, told the eight-man, four-woman jury that Tony Henderson in 1994 badly injured the victim, Rochelle Henderson, by shooting her with a shotgun. The couple was married then.
Tony Henderson was sentenced to 10 years in prison and his wife, who spent weeks recovering in the hospital from her gunshot wound, divorced him while he was incarcerated.
He was later paroled and beginning in September 2016 started trying to form a relationship with their son and his grandchildren, prosecutors said. Rochelle Henderson was "OK with it at first," Petro said, but when he started trying to pursue a romantic relationship with her "it made her uncomfortable."
Petro said Tony Henderson was not supposed to be in Rochelle Henderson's home when he caught up to her and "stabbed her over and over and over again."
She said Hot Springs police responded to the residence and discovered the son's bedroom window had been pried open to make entry. They located Tony Henderson a block away "covered in blood" and he told police the knife was back at the house.
Petro said the prosecution intended to show Tony Henderson's intent that night was to kill his ex-wife.
Tony Henderson's attorney, Clay Janske, cautioned the jury that opening remarks were not evidence and urged them to "keep an open mind" and to "listen to all the evidence" in the case.