Son in custody, father at large in New Castle man’s killing
Body found Monday
A New Castle father and son have been charged in connection with the alleged shooting death in their garage of a man who went missing June 5.
Police accused Connor Henry of killing Amari Wise, 19. New Castle police Chief Bobby Salem told KDKA-TV, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s news partner, Mr. Wise’s remains were found Monday.
Investigators said Henry’s father, Todd Henry, 47, scrubbed down the garage to hide the evidence, moved Mr. Wise’s body and hid the car the victim was driving.
Connor Henry, 20, was taken into custody Sunday in Ocean City, Md., during a traffic stop after authorities learned he was staying in the area.
No details were immediately available about his arrest, and it was unclear Monday where he was being held.
He is charged with firing the
gun police say killed Mr.
Wise.
Todd Henry remained at large as of Monday afternoon. He is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence.
Both men had been taken into custody by New Castle police several days into the investigation but were released after investigators were unable to interview them or contact their attorney.
The lawyer, Matthew Mangino, could not be reached Monday.
Police said they interviewed two witnesses who said the shooting took place late June 5 in the garage of the Henrys’ house in the 900 block of Adams Street.
Several people were hanging out, smoking marijuana and drinking, when Mr. Wise showed up, according to a criminal complaint.
After about 15 minutes, Mr. Wise got into an argument with someone. He stood over the unidentified man, who was sitting on a couch, and threatened to shoot him, the complaint said.
Mr. Wise put his hand on a fanny pack slung across his chest, one witness said. The other witness said the gun was partly out of the fanny pack when Connor Henry shot Mr. Wise once from behind, according to the complaint.
Detectives did not identify the witnesses and did not indicate what the argument was about.
Connor Henry is a felon, online court records show, and is not allowed to have a gun.
New Castle police became involved June 7, two days after Mr. Wise was last seen driving a red Toyota Camry reported as an “unauthorized use.”
Police found the car in Union Township on a trail about a mile past a large rock used to block access. A handgun was in the driver’s side door pocket, and a cellphone was on the front passenger seat.
Tips flowing into police identified the Henrys as being involved with killing Mr. Wise in their garage.
Police went to the Henrys’ house June 8 and said Todd Henry “appeared nervous, avoided eye contact and continued to look at full bags of trash that were on the porch,” the complaint said.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and seized two firearm magazines and a spent bullet slug on the sidewalk in front of the house.
The next day, police got surveillance video from the night of June 5 that showed a car registered to Todd Henry entering the area where the red Camry was found. Thirty-seven seconds later, the video shows the car Mr. Wise was last seen driving entering the area.
Investigators found a neighbor of the Henrys with a camera system that recorded the sound of a single gunshot 9:59 p.m. — presumably on June 5, although the complaint does not say — followed by men yelling in a “panicked” manner.
When police searched the garage on Adams Street, they found a light gray patch on the dark gray floor; the floor looked like it might have been pressure washed, police said, and there were spots of possible blood three feet from the door. A witness told investigators he visited the Henry house June 6 — the day after Mr. Wise disappeared — while Todd Henry was pressure washing the garage.
On June 10, police seized two couch cushions and a pair of white sneakers from the house and took several swabs from the garage floor. All tested positive for blood, the complaint said.
Police also found what appeared to be blood on the trunk lid of Todd Henry’s car and on the driver’s floor mat of the Camry. Investigators are awaiting various DNA and gun shot residue test results.
Connor Henry is charged with homicide and tampering with evidence; police accused him of hiding the murder weapon.