Pair convicted in deadly armed robbery, sentenced to prison | Crime

ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) - Two men have been convicted and sentenced to at least 35 years behind bars after they were involved in a deadly robbery in 2009.

According to the York County Solicitor's office, a jury found Davontey Henson guilty in the murder of Tyrone King. He was also convicted for shooting another man, Kenny Cunningham, criminal conspiracy, possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and three counts of armed robbery. 

Another man, Donta Reid, was acquitted of murder charges, but was found guilty of three counts of armed robbery, possession of firearm during the commission of a violent crime and criminal conspiracy.

The charges stem from a deadly shooting at a home along the 400 block of Byars Street, in Rock Hill, in October 2009.

The evidence at trial showed that the two men conspired to rob King, Cunningham and Henry Maurice Jackson while the men sat on the porch Jackson's home.

Reid approached the three while they were sitting on the porch and attempted to lure them down the street where Henson and Aileen Newman were armed with a fully automatic .22 caliber rifle, the evidence showed in court. That's where the plan was for Henson to come out of hiding and rob the men.

The initial plan failed when Jackson declined to leave the porch.  Reid returned went back to the hiding spot and said the three victims did not appear to be armed.

That's when evidence shows that Newman and Henson walked to the porch and robbed the three victims at rifle point. They stole $25 in cash, a pack of cigarettes and two cell phones. 

As they walked away from the porch Henson turned and opened fire on the three men, shooting King in the head and Cunningham in the leg and foot. Jackson was unharmed and called 911 for assistance from inside the home.

Another woman, Samantha Ervin, sat in a vehicle a short distance from the scene and served as the getaway driver.  All four went to Ervin's home after the shooting and robbery, court records show.

Reid was arrested by police and gave a full confession naming Ervin, Henson and Newman as co-conspirators. Ervin and Newman were arrested less than two weeks later, Henson was captured in Baltimore, Maryland nearly a year later.

Henson received a sentence of life in prison without parole. Reid received a sentence of 35 years in prison without parole.

Newman and Ervin gave full confessions when they were arrested and later entered pleas of guilt to the armed robberies and testified for the state at trial. They will be sentenced later this month. 

Ervin faces up to 25 years without parole for her role in the crime and Newman faces up to 35 years.

At the sentencing for Henson, Solicitor Kevin Brackett called for a life sentence saying that the shooting of King and Cunningham was not provoked.

"All three victims cooperated and handed over their money and valuables," Brackett said. "They did not attempt to defend themselves and Mr. Henson's decision to open fire on the victims could only have been motivated by malice and the sheer thrill he derived from doing violence to another human being." 

Brackett also asked for a severe sentence for Reid, saying that Reid volunteered his friends as potential victims for their robbery scheme.

"He was the one who knew these men and he was the one who suggested to his conspirators that they would make a good target for the robbery," said Brackett.

The trial took all week to hear and the jury rendered its verdict shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday evening.