CRIME

Family calls for justice in unsolved Dover homicide

Brittany Horn

The News Journal

Tyson Henry Jr. would have been 27 on Sunday.

Tyson Henry's family members gathered for a rally in front of the Dover Police Department on what would have been Tyson's 27th birthday.

But two and a half years have passed since the New Castle man was shot and killed in Dover, and his murder remains unsolved.

"He didn't have a chance to be who he wanted to be," said his father, Tyson Henry Sr. "Nobody wants to come and speak out about what they saw. It's really sad."

His family and close friends gathered outside the Dover Police Department Sunday in honor of his birthday and to call attention to the killing that his mother says has been largely ignored by the community. Her son, along with a 25-year-old woman, was shot outside of a party on Aug. 24, 2014, in the 300 block of Simon Circle.

The woman recovered, but Henry did not survive the shots to his lower body, according to Dover police.

Tyson Henry's family members release heart-shaped birthday balloons to end a rally in front of the Dover Police Department on what would have been Tyson's 27th birthday.

The party was heavily attended, according to police and Henry's family, who say more than 70 people were there when shots were fired. But to date, the community has been uncooperative in speaking out and providing police with information about the killing.

That tends to be the case with many of Dover's unsolved crimes, said Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman, a spokesman with Dover Police Department. Community cooperation plays a large role in being able to piece together information and solve crimes.

Though the killing has not been classified as a cold case by the department, Hoffman said police need people to come forward about what they saw.

"We're lacking information needed to make an arrest at this point," he said Sunday.

For Henry's family, hearing those words continues to be devastating. Henry was a father of two when he was killed, but he never met his baby girl who arrived just a month after he died. Henry's mother, Tasha Wynn, dreads having to explain to his 4-year-old son, Tyerin Henry, and 2-year-old daughter, Tahniya Henry, that they still don't know what happened to their father.

Tyson Henry's cousin, Dickie Wilmore of Dover, looks at memories of Tyson where family members gathered for a rally in front of the Dover Police Department on what would have been Tyson's 27th birthday.

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Tyerin attended Sunday's small memorial rally outside the police department, but Wynn said he doesn't understand what it really means.

"Just help this little boy find out who took his Daddy," she said, gesturing to Tyerin playing on the police department steps. "We miss him. We need this."

Nearly 20 people gathered into a tight circle to say a few words and repeat the Lord's Prayer before releasing red, heart-shaped balloons into the gloomy Sunday afternoon sky. Wynn grew teary-eyed as she recalled the time that has passed since her son's death and the increase in gun violence

"I hate even asking anyone to come down here, but the only way I'll get peace in my heart is they need to know that they have to come and help us," she said pointing to the police department. "I need the community's help to help us get justice."

"This is for you, Tys," she said quietly, before watching the balloons float away until they were nothing but a small speck.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.