Former Politician Charged With Fatally Torching Ex-Cop Hubby
A former politician from Pennsylvania has been charged with killing her husband, burning his body, and then claiming the retired deputy sheriff set himself on fire with a cigar.
Evelyn Henderson of Dauphin County called 911 last week to say she found her husband, Carmen, dead after “starting a fire and burning himself,” reported Local 21 News.
But the details of her story continuously shifted during the call, and further evidence pointed to foul play, police told the station.
Larva in the victim’s nose and mouth indicated he may have died much earlier than indicated by his wife, according to local reports. And a $10,000 life insurance policy taken out on her husband revealed his wife stood to gain financially, Local 21 reported.
The couple had many debts — including a $40,000 second mortgage, they were behind on, according to court records reviewed by Penn Live.
Evelyn Henderson—who ran for numerous local offices over the years—was charged last week with criminal homicide, aggravated arson, and arson. The cause of death has not been released.
“She’s ill,” former Dauphin County Assistant Chief Deputy Sheriff Jerry Livingston, who knew the couple, told The Daily Beast. “She’s just sick.”
Her husband was a former chief deputy of the Dauphin County Sheriff’s Office.
“I will really miss him,” said Livingston, who recalled Carmen Henderson as a great boss and mentor.
Livingston recalled the victim once telling a story about a time a criminal escaped from the office’s cell block.
“[Henderson] didn’t have his gun with him and used his [hair] comb and stuck it in his back and said ‘Hold it right there!’” Livingston remembered with a laugh.
His wife, Livingston said, was obsessed with politics.
“I'm running for this office, I'm running for that office—politics all the time,” said Livingston. “You couldn’t stop her from talking. If you want to talk about something else, no way—she wanted to talk about politics.”
Penn Live reported that Evelyn Henderson ran for Beaver County court clerk in 1983, and continued running for other offices over the years, including for sheriff in 2015.
Carmen Henderson’s family had been concerned for their father’s safety long before his death.
Family members told Penn Live they they feared he was being neglected and that after his death, the house was full of dirty dishes, pests, and the smell of feces.
Evelyn Henderson is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Thursday.
Kathryn Walt, 85, who worked with Carmen Henderson for over 20 years, said he was a cigar-smoking sport fan.
“He’s just a nice caring person,” Walt said. “I mean, it's hard to put into words.”
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