Ohio Man Charged with Killing Deputy After Police Fatally Shot His Teenage Son

An Ohio man is facing charges of aggravated murder after allegedly striking and killing a sheriff’s deputy just one day after police fatally shot his teenage son.

Rodney Hinton Jr. is accused of intentionally hitting Deputy Larry Henderson with his vehicle on Friday while the deputy was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati, according to law enforcement. The deadly incident came less than 24 hours after Hinton’s 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, was shot and killed by police.

Authorities said Hinton’s actions were “calculated and premeditated.” Prosecutor Ryan Nelson told the court that Hinton Jr. “lined up his car, deliberately accelerated and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff.”

Hinton’s attorneys confirmed that he had attended a meeting with police earlier that day, during which he and his family viewed body camera footage of Ryan’s death. “Ryan Hinton’s family, including his father, was understandably distraught as they watched the bodycam video,” said a statement from attorneys Michael Wright, Shean Williams, Robert Gresham, and Anthony Pierson. “After the meeting with the police department, Ryan’s father left in his own vehicle, and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer.”

Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey later identified the slain deputy as Larry Henderson, a 33-year veteran of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office who had recently retired but continued to serve in a special capacity. “He developed an expertise and became an excellent trainer,” McGuffey said, praising Henderson’s lasting impact on fellow deputies.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy for this community,” the attorneys said. “Ryan Hinton’s family is heartbroken by this tragic turn of events, and we are all devastated for the family of the officer who was killed.”

Deputy Henderson’s badge number, #129, will be retired, the sheriff’s office said.